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REVIEW OF SCOTLAND 'S COLLEGES
RoSCo e-Bulletin Issue 8- February 2007
In this issue:
Welcome
Minutes of Meetings and Associated Papers
Core Group
Working Groups
Further & Adult Education Division
Feedback
Contacts
Welcome
Welcome to the eighth edition of the Review of Scotland's Colleges (RoSCo) e-bulletin, which provides an update on progress of the Review.
We would be grateful if you could draw attention to the RoSCo e-Bulletin through your own internal and external newsletters and websites. We are also keen to ensure that the e-bulletin is circulated more widely by building up a more comprehensive distribution list. If you would like to be added to the mailing list please let us know by e-mailing rosco@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Minutes of Meetings and Associated Papers
Information about the Review can be found on the Executive's revised website address at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/UniversitiesColleges/17135/RSC/Intro
Minutes and papers of the working groups and Core Group are available on the website.
Core Group
The Core Group met on the 15 December and again on 19 January 2007. At December's meeting, members had been given an up-date on the progress of the four workstreams and were given an opportunity to meet with Malcolm Hutchinson, the consultant commissioned by the Long Term Strategic Futures working group to assist in the work of the scenario development. Malcolm Hutchison explained that the scenarios are intended to be plausible, realistic and challenging but are not intended to predict the future. The Core Group were also informed of the structure of the 'Delivering Outcomes for Scotland' paper that the Differences Colleges Make group were drafting by Chair John Burt and Hugh McAloon of the Scottish Executive.
At January's meeting, members received a copy of the Difference Colleges Make, Accountability and Governance and the Long Term Strategic Futures working groups reports for approval. The Group endorsed all of these reports, subject to of the consideration of their suggestions on how the reports could be improved. Members agreed to send any further final comments immediately in order to meet the tight printer's deadlines.
Members were informed that the Staffing, Learners and Learning Environments Working Group's report was still at the drafting stage but was making good progress with the last chapter being worked on. This report has now been received by members for consideration prior to the next Core Group meeting in February.
Members discussed the possible format for Core Group's summary report. It was agreed that it needed to be focussed, short, sharp and influential. It would incorporate the recommendations from each of the working groups. The Executive agreed to produce an initial draft of this report and issue it to members for consideration a week prior to the next Core Group meeting.
The Core Group will next meet on 15 February at Meridian Court, Glasgow.
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Working Groups
Difference Colleges Make
The group met on 3 occasions since the beginning of October with its final meeting held on 9 January. The working group's report 'Delivering Outcomes for Scotland' includes a list of 12 outcomes for Scotland. These outcomes complement Scotland's priorities as identified in current work ongoing within and out-with the Executive ahead of the parliamentary elections and 2007 spending review. It was agreed that members of both the working group and the Core Group should encourage ASC, Colleges and other stakeholders to make good use this versatile document once published.
Accountability and Governance
The Group met in November where the independent research carried out by DTZ was discussed in depth. The research had concluded that, in general, the standard of accountability and governance in Scotland's colleges is good. Following this, the group held its eleventh and final meeting on 12 January at Cardonald College. The DTZ report formed a substantial element of this workstream's evidence and helped inform the drafting of the working group's own final report. The working group's near final report was presented at the Core Group meeting on 19 January.
The DTZ report and research findings were made available on the Executive's web on 5 February. These documents can be found online at:
Report
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/02/05093435/0
Research Findings
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/02/05093416/0
Staffing, Learners and Learning Environments (SLALE)
SLALE held its twelfth meeting on 20 November 2006. At this meeting, members considered a paper on the merits of encouraging colleges to develop a code of practice for all staff. There was also discussion of a draft staff governance standard for colleges, a further update on the work of the Professional Development Sub-group and feedback from the meeting convened to look at the drafting of the group's final report. The seventh meeting of the Professional Development Sub-group was also held on 20 November. The main item on the agenda was an updated version of the Teacher Training Costings Paper previously discussed by the group. Also discussed was a paper on the Scottish Funding Council's CPD Pilot.
SLALE held its thirteenth meeting on 14 December 2006. The main items for discussion were funding for estates and the draft final report of the Professional Development Sub-group. The main findings of the latter were to be incorporated in SLALE's draft final report. The eighth and last meeting of the Professional Development Sub-group was also held that day. The main item for discussion was the draft final report of the Sub-group, to which members suggested a number of amendments.
The fourteenth meeting of SLALE was held on 17 January 2007. At this meeting, members considered the draft final report of SLALE and, as a separate item, the chapter on learning environments prepared by the Scottish Funding Council.
The fifteenth and final meeting of SLALE was held on 30 January 2007. The main item for discussion was the second draft of the final SLALE report, to which members suggested some minor amendments. The amended report was signed off by members later that week.
Colleges' Long Term Strategic Future
Having met in "workshop mode" between July and October last year to develop possible future scenarios and to consider their implications for colleges, the full working group met three times between November and January this year to refine its final report: "Building Capability - How our colleges can respond to future challenges"
The report contains important key messages for the sector, to help colleges excel in future, relating to:
• Positioning and role
• Leadership
• Collaboration and partnership
• Responsiveness to learners and employers
• Modernising learning and teaching
This document includes the full report of the scenario development process by our consultant, Malcolm Hutchinson, who facilitated the workshops.
The working group has now agreed its report which will be available shortly.
Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU) Annual Conference
SFEU hosted Scotland's Colleges Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony, 'Making a Bigger Difference', on 29 November. The event, celebrated the difference Scotland's colleges make, to individuals, communities and to the wider economy and informed delegates of how colleges wish to make a bigger difference. The Differences Colleges Make work stream ran a very successful workshop session during the second half of the day. The workshop gave delegates an opportunity to hear about the work of the group and be updated on the work of the Review of Scotland's Colleges.
Information About Other Work of Further & Adult Education Division
The Scottish Funding Council launched its new Corporate Plan at an event for stakeholders on 22 January. The First Minister attended and delivered the keynote speech. A briefing reception on the new Plan for MSPs at the Scottish Parliament took place on 24 January which was hosted by Allan Wilson. Also on 24 January, the Funding Council met with Tom McCabe to discuss the sectors' contribution to the Efficient Government Initiative.
The Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland (ALNIS) report published in 2001 is currently being refreshed. A draft strategy is expected to go out to consultation in Spring 2007.
ETLLD, along with Learning Connections, Communities Scotland, invited bids for grant funding for projects which will engage employers and employees in workplace literacies learning. To date 7 projects have been awarded funding with projects running to March 2008.
We are close to finalising policy work on an Adult ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Strategy for Scotland, a draft of which is with Cabinet for consideration. We are also managing the procurement of teaching materials to support the delivery of three new Professional Development Awards which we developed in 2006, further to the publication of new Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges..
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Feedback
We would welcome ongoing feedback on any aspect of the Review. Please send your comments to rosco@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.
Contacts
RoSCo Project Leader - Col Baird
Tel 0141 242 0237
Email colin.baird@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
RoSCo Secretariat - Margaret McLachlan
Tel 0141 242 0102
Email margaret.mclachlan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Address Further and Adult Education Division
Europa Building
450 Argyle Street
Glasgow, G2 8LG
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