Universities and colleges throughout Scotland are being encouraged to produce their own local charters, reflecting the principles set out in this document and incorporating standards and performance targets set by the institutions themselves.

• courses on offer
• entry requirements
• how to apply
• services for students, including accommodation and welfare
• sources of financial help.

You should receive details on:-

• the aims and structure of your course
• how your institution upholds its equal opportunities policy
• facilities for students with disabilities or learning difficulties

• to have your enquiries dealt with promptly and courteously
• to have your application dealt with fairly and efficiently
• to receive a high standard of teaching and supervision of research
• to make a fixed appointment with a member of staff to discuss the course for which you have been accepted and your personal progress on the course
• to have access to the institution's guidance and counselling services which should offer academic, career and vocational advice and support.
• efficient and appropriate assessment procedures
• an opportunity to express you views on the quality of teaching and other services
• to have any formal complaints investigated thoroughly and without undue delay
• prompt payment of grants and loans if you are eligible.

To make an informed choice, you will need access to comparable information on the institutions to which you may wish to apply. This information should help you to understand the nature and standard of education provided by the institution. The following publications, databases and sources of advice give you general information on the opportunities available in all the further education colleges and higher education institutions.

• Further Education for the 90s (published by the Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU)). A directory of further education colleges and their courses.
• University and College Entrance: The Official Guide (published by UCAS, which combines the former UCCA and PCAS admissions systems). Provides information on higher education institutions throughout the UK, on the courses they offer, and on usual entry requirements. Available from the distributors Sheed and Ward.
• Entrance Guide to Higher Education in Scotland (published by the Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals (COSHEP)). Standard reference guide to entry requirements in Scottish higher education institutions.
• The Scottish Directory of Further Education and Training for those with Special Needs (Published by Central Regional Council's Careers Service.
• Disability and Higher Education (published by Hobsons and SKILL) A directory of higher education provision for students with disabilities.

• SAMI (System for Accessing Modular Information). A database of vocational qualifications in Scotland. You can use SAMI in most further education colleges.
• ECCTIS (Education Counselling and Credit Transfer Information System). Provides up-to-date information on courses and vacancies in higher education on provision for students with disabilities.
• GATEWAY. Gateway centres operating throughout Strathclyde Region provide a comprehensive careers and course guidance service.
• TAP (Training Access Points). TAP databases provide information on education and training opportunities in Scotland. They can be used in all TAP centres.

Colleges and Universities
Careers Service Offices
School Guidance Staff
Training Access Points (TAP)
Scottish Vocational Education Council (SCOTVEC)

Adults

Colleges and Universities
Local Enterprise Companies
Training Access Points (TAP)
Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP)
Scottish Vocational Education Council (SCOTVEC)

A prospectus or information pack is produced by each institution. Copies are available direct from the institutions. They are also available via schools, colleges, many public libraries, and careers offices. The prospectus should tell you about the institution's general aims and about:

• the courses it offers and opportunities for part-time study and open or distance learning
• facilities and services available to support your studies such as tutoring, libraries, computer suites, language laboratories
• health, welfare, social and recreational facilities provided by the institution and by the student association
• facilities and provision for students with disabilities or learning difficulties
• links the institution has with industry, other education providers and the wider community, and how these benefit students
• steps the institution takes to monitor and assure the quality of its teaching and other services
• how to obtain further information on, for example, entry requirements or financial support.

Further education colleges are currently developing their own systems for assuring quality, using various measures of performance. These measures include student success, student satisfaction and quality of teaching. User satisfaction is assessed through regular surveys. The results of these assessments will be available through published summaries of development plans. The effectiveness of the systems and others aspects of college performance will also be scrutinised by HM Inspectors of Schools, who will publish regular reports.

The Higher Education Quality Council will regularly audit the quality assurance systems of each higher education institution.; Reports will be available from the Quality Council ; and universities and colleges can be expected to include in their prospectuses information on when an audit last took place and on the availability of recent or forthcoming audit reports. The Quality Council will look to universities and colleges to deal with any serious problems identified in the reports.

The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council will publish regular reports on the quality of teaching of different subjects in the institutions it funds, and will aim to make sure that any serious problems identified are put rights by the institution concerned. Reports will be available from the Funding Council . The amount of money which the Funding Council gives to institutions will be influenced by its assessment of the quality of teaching. In conjunction with other Funding Councils, it is developing measures to assess performance. These will be published. The Council will also publish regular assessments of the quality of the research carried out by each institution it funds.

To help you select the right course institutions will provide information which clearly describes:-

• the aims and content of the course and the choice of core and optional subjects
• usual entry requirements. Institutions should also make clear if any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience can count towards the requirements.
• how the course will be taught, supervised and assessed
• the opportunities there amy be for more flexible patterns of study
• the qualifications that is awarded on successful completion of the course
• whether the course is recognised as part of, or leading to, a professional qualification and. if so, which professional bodies are involved.
• whether there are opportunities for further study towards a higher or professional qualification
• the fees payable and any additional equipment or materials that you may be expected to buy
• how your application will be dealt with, including details of the selection process and a timetable for interviews and acknowledgement of acceptance, where appropriate
• the types of careers or further study that previous students have entered on successful completion of the course
• the provision of support services for students with disabilities or learning difficulties.

Most institutions also offer pre-entry guidance (through visits or meetings with members of staff) to help you choose the course most appropriate to your needs. You can also get advise from SKILL on facilities and help for students with disabilities.

Many institutions have introduced policies to widen access to higher education for adults and may accept you on a course without the usual entry qualifications. the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) helps adults to enter higher education after a year in further education. Improved links between further education colleges and higher education institutions may enable you to use previous qualifications to enter a degree course at an advanced level. Courses at certain further education colleges are tailored specifically to link with degree courses.

All Scottish universities and colleges are working to implement the Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (SCOTCATS), designed to give students a greater choice over what they study and to increase the opportunities for transfer between courses and between institutions without repeating work or levels of study.

Further Education Colleges have their own application forms and you should apply direct to the colleges you are interested in.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service(UCAS) is a central admission agency for most undergraduate full-time and sandwich courses and other non-advanced courses in higher education institutions throughout the United Kingdom. Certain institutions are not members of UCAS; and some other (for example, the specialist art colleges in Scotland and certain institutions offering social work courses) operate their own arrangements. Information about these arrangements is available from the institutions concerned. Applications for part-time and most post- graduate courses should be made direct to the appropriate institution.

The standard arrangements allow those applying to select a number of universities and colleges throughout the United Kingdom. The price charged for applications will be reviewed regularly. UCAS will make special arrangements from September 1994 (for courses beginning in or after September 1995) for those who wish to make a single application, through UCAS, to only one university or college of higher education. The price charged will be lower than for the standard arrangements.

If you wish to apply for a teacher training course at one of the Scottish Colleges of Education or Paisley or Strathclyde Universities for entry in session 1994/95, you should apply to the Teacher Eduction Admissions Clearing House (TEACH). It is expected that all applications for the 4-year degree courses will be made through UCAS for entry in session 1995/96 onwards. Further information can be obtained from the institutions direct and from COSHEP about both the degree courses and the arrangements for the 1-year post graduate certificate of education courses.

In some cases teacher training is provided concurrently with a degree course either by a college of education in association with a university or entirely at a university. Applications for courses that are entirely university-based are made through UCAS.

• any student accommodation that the institution itself provides, its standard and cost; how to apply for it and the institution's policy for allocating it
• what accommodation is available privately and how much it is likely to cost
• the range of medical. guidance and counselling facilities and how these are made available
• any child care support and facilities provided by the institution
• any leisure and recreating facilities provided by the institution
• any special services or facilities provided for overseas students
• any services available for students with disabilities or learning difficulties.

The institution will also be able to put you in touch with local student organisations, which also help to provide certain services for students.

You will wish to have clear information about the financial help available, and how to apply for it. There are several sources or relevant information:-

• your education authority in Scotland, if you wish to embark on a course of further education
• "Student Grants in Scotland" (undergraduate and post-graduate): free booklets issued by The Scottish Office Education Department (SOED) with details of the awards and loans schemes for higher education in Scotland. They are available from institutions, education authorities, or SOED Awards Branch.
• "The Student Loans Scheme": a free leaflet with further details on the loans scheme for students on higher education courses. Copies are available from your institution or the Student Loans Company Limited
• Your local education authority (if you live in England or Wales and are applying to an institution in Scotland): it will tell you how to apply for mandatory awards for full-time courses in higher education, and for discretionary awards. Ask for the free leaflet 'Student Grants and Loans'
• your local Education and Library Board (if you live in Northern Ireland and are applying to an institution in Scotland).

The institution to which you are applying may also be able to advise you on other sources of finance such a scholarships or grants which may be available from charitable trusts.

If you are in one of the special groups eligible for certain social security benefits - for example, part-time students, students with disabilities, or students who are single parents - you may be entitled to benefit. For more information, contact you local social security benefit office of Freephone 0800 666555.

Applicants for vocational eduction and training courses may be eligible to apply for a Career Development Loan: Freephone 0800 585 505 for details.

Further details are given in the following pages.

• Fees and Maintenance Award: All eligible students are entitled to have their fees paid by The Scottish Office Education Department (SOED). The maintenance allowance is means-tested and takes account of parental, spouse, or student income, as appropriate. If you live in England or Wales and are accepted by a Scottish institution, the fees and maintenance award will be made by your local education authority.
• Student Loans: These are available to most higher education students (other than post-graduates) from the Student Loans Company Limited; they are explained in the booklet "Student Grants in Scotland" or in a leaflet available from the Company.
• Access Funds: These are limited funds administered at the discretion of the institutions, in order to assist full-time or 'sandwich' course students who face particular financial difficulties. Further details may be obtained direct from the institutions.

Students from other European Community countries: Nationals of other Member States of the European Community studying in Scotland who have been resident within the EC for the preceding 3 years are entitled to have their tuition fees paid by SOED.

If you have not been ordinarily resident in the British Isles or the European Community during the 3 years immediately preceding the beginning of your course, you will normally be regarded as an overseas student. Institutions set their own fees for overseas students, and further details can be obtained direct from the institutions.

Your first instalment of maintenance allowance will be available for collection at the institution at the start of the first term, provided your application has been processed before term starts. Subsequent instalments will be paid in the same way each term and your fees will be paid direct to the institution. Local education authorities in England and Wales work on a slightly different basis and you should make a preliminary approach to your local education authority as soon as possible after you have applied for a place on a course.

Student Loans: Application should be made to the Student Loans Company Limited through your institution, when you have started your course. Your institution will first certify that you are eligible for a loan and this should normally be done within 14 calendar days of receiving your request for a loan with the necessary supporting information. The Company aims to pay the loan to you within 21 calendar days from receipt of the completed application.

Access Funds: Application should be made to your institution which will publish its own procedure for applications.

Bursaries have two main elements; the payment of tuition frees for your course (where appropriate) and a maintenance allowance which may include contributions towards books and necessary travel. Tuition fees are normally paid for all eligible students, but the maintenance allowance is means-tested and takes account of parental, spouse, or student income. Further information is available from your education authority.

Access Funds: Publicly funded institutions also have Access Funds to assist further education students, aged 19 or over, who face particular financial difficulties. Your institutions will be able to provide further information.

Access Funds: Application should be made to your institution which will publish its own procedure for applications.

• the content of the course and teaching methods used, including the mix of practical, lecturing and tutorial sessions
• arrangements for the supervision of post-graduate research
• how and when assessments of work are made during the course
• the standard you must reach to complete or progress to a more advanced stage of the course
• any work experience or placement which is an integral part of the course including details of the aims of the placements and who arranges it
• the opportunities that exist for student representation on course and other committees; and for students to take part in decision-making about academic matters and institutional management issues, for example through student representation on the Governing Body of Court and on the Academic Board or Senate.

When you start the course, your institution should familiarise you with the services for students, such as health and counselling services and careers advice, which are available, and tell you whom to contact. Information on the institution's academic regulations and disciplinary procedures will also be available; and it is in your interest to understand how these affect you.

When you move up from school to university or college, you will have much greater freedom to decide how to organise your work and how to make the most of the opportunities open to you. You will benefit most from you course if you contribute positively to your own studies. Your institution will make clear what it expects from you as a student and what your responsibilities are - to yourself for your own learning, to your fellow students, and to the institution and its staff. Some institutions are developing "learner agreements" which express a shared commitment by teacher and student to the learning process.

As a matter of good management practice, all institutions should actively operate an equal opportunities policy. All enrolled students, regardless of race, ethnic origins, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or age, can expect equal treatment. As a student you should have information on:-

• the equal opportunities policy, how it is communicated and enforced
• measures that are taken to prevent discrimination in, for example, the placement and assessment of students
• who in the institution is responsible for equal opportunities matters and deals with complaints.

• the learning support - eg. interpreter services, audio taping services - you might expect to receive
• arrangements for catering for users with physical or sensory disabilities, in particular regarding access to buildings and accommodation
• sources of additional funding for which you might be eligible
• the steps that the institution is taking to improve opportunities for individuals who have physical, sensory or learning difficulties.

If you have a disability or learning difficulty, it may be helpful to tell your institution about your needs at as early a stage as possible and preferably before applying for a course. This will enable it to respond as effectively as possible.

Employers

Employers work with colleges and universities in a number of different ways. Some commission or buy research and training; some offer work placements for staff and students; some sponsor students and facilities. A large number recruit graduates and other students into their work place. Recent developments in the curriculum in Scotland encourage education providers and employers to collaborate in course development and work-based assessment. Increasingly, employers are represented on university courts and college governing bodies, where they contribute to the overall management of the institutions. Further education college boards of management are now required to include a Local Enterprise Company representative.

If you are an employer you should have access to relevant information which:-

• tells you about the quality of institutions, their courses and the research they carry out
• helps you to recruit employees appropriate to your needs
• aids your understanding of the range of qualifications available and the levels of proficiency achieved in relevant subjects
• helps you select appropriate education and training programmes for your employees and tells you how much they cost.

You should also have access to a named individual as a first point of contact who can offer advice and further information on the institution.

Institutions will normally be willing to provide employers with information on:-

• the range of courses and qualifications offered by the institution
• how courses are taught and assessed and the roles of any work placements
• the relevance to the work environment of transferable skills and knowledge gained on courses; the level of competence students should be expected to reach; whether the course leads to the award of an SVQ (Scottish Vocational Qualification) and how that SVQ relates to the appropriate gSVQ
• the fees charged for training and other services
• the progress of any employees currently undertaking part- or full-time study which is sponsored by you
• the amount of study time required by any employees on part- or full-time study programmes
• the aims and objectives of any work placements in which you are, or plan to be, involved
• any quality assurance standards the institutions has been awarded or is working towards, such as Investors in People, or SQMS (Scottish Quality Management System), or BS 5750, of Chartermark. (Employers may be able to offer institutions help and suggestion based on their own experience of such standards.)
• how you can make your views known, and how to complain if you are not satisfied with the service you receive.

Further education colleges produce a summary of their development plans each year. This highlights their aims and how successful they have been in meeting objectives. An annual report setting our main activities and a financial statement is also produced. These should be readily available from each college. Further education college prospectuses and other college information may be available in local libraries. The Secretary of State for Scotland is required to produce for Parliament an annual report on further education. The first of these reports is due to be published early in 1994.

Many further and higher education institutions run adult and community education programmes. your local institution will be happy to give you advice and full details.

• services or facilities provided by the institution
• the accuracy of information provided by the institution
• how your application for a place has been dealt with
• how your application for financial assistance has been handled

there are steps you can take to make your views known. First, you should explain in writing to the institution or award-making body what the problem is and ask that it be investigated. Your questions or concerns should be dealt with promptly, efficiently and in confidence. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, there are further steps you can take.

If you are still not satisfied when you have exhausted the college's own procedures, you can complain in writing to the Secretary of State for Scotland.

If your complaint is specifically about misleading information given in a prospectus, and you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal complaints system, you can write to the Higher Education Quality Council who will investigate the matter.

If you have a complaint about a student loan you should address it to the Student Loans Company Limited unless it concerns the certification of your eligibility, in which case you should take it up with your institution. The Company has an established procedure for dealing with complaints, including reference to the independent Assessor.

If you have a complaint about access funds you should take it up through your institution's internal complaints system.

Complaints Procedure

There are 3 stages of the procedure:

• If you are unhappy with Awards Branch's handling of the award, you are entitled to an explanation. You should contact the Branch, preferably in writing, quoting the appropriate student award reference number.
• If you remain unhappy with the reply given, a written complaint may be made to Awards Branch marked COMPLAINT and addressed to the "Head of Section". All complaints will be fully investigated and a reply normally given within 14 days of receipt.
• Should you remain dissatisfied with the Head of Section's explanation, you can pursue the matter further by writing direct to the Head of Student Awards (whose name and address are given in the Student Grants booklet).

This formal procedure is in addition to your right to seek help from your MP or from other quarters.

Digest of Key Findings

1. The Scottish Office Education Department commissioned market research to help identify issues of importance to students and others, and to help shape the priorities of the Charter. The full research is published separately by the Department.
2. The research comprised surveys of current and potential further and higher education students; parents of current and potential students; and the general public. These were carried out in October and November 1992 by British Market Research Bureau (BMRB). The surveys of students and parents were carried out by telephone using respondents drawn from BMRB's in- house database. The interviews with members of the general public were conducted face-to-face as part of BMRB's omnibus survey ACCESS.
3. The findings present a generally positive view of further and higher education but also provide pointers to areas for improvement. The key areas are highlighted below.
4. Information about Further and Higher Education (FHE) There was evidence of high levels of satisfaction among students and parents with the information currently available about FHE systems and choices. Overall 9 our of 10 were satisfied. However there is clearly some room for improvement since only 1 in 5 students and 1 in 3 parents said they were very satisfied and there were some indications that mature students did not feel so well informed.
5. Choice of FHE Institution It was clear that the key factors influencing students in their choice of institution are primarily of an academic nature. The most important issues are:-
   • the suitability of the course itself
   • the way it is taught
   • the proportion of student getting jobs at the end of it
   • the methods of assessment used
   • the provision of the necessary facilities for study.

   This was so for both sectors. About three quarters of current or recent students felt they had sufficient information to make an informed choice, although there was a significant minority who were less than completely satisfied. Around 1 in 5 felt that more information is needed.

6. Assessing Quality of Information The research suggest 3 things are of paramount importance to students in evaluating the education they receive, namely:-
   • the relevance of the course to future job prospects
   • having well qualified teaching staff
   • having staff who make the subject interesting.

   Overall 9 out of 10 students claimed to be satisfied with the quality of education they had received although only 4 out of 10 were very satisfied. The expectations students had formed about the quality of education they would receive appear, in the majority of cases, to have been exceeded. The exception is in the availability of books where 4 out of 10 student said the situation was worse than they expected.

7. Admission Procedures Nine out of 10 students who had applied for a higher education course in 1991 or 1992 through a centralised system (UCCA or PCAS) thought the system was very or fairly efficient, though 1 in 4 had found the form difficult to complete and 2 out of 5 thought the fee did not offer particularly good value for money. A third of those who applied through a centralised system said they would have preferred to apply direct to individual colleges if they had had the choice.
8. Financial Support Information about higher education loans and grants was obtained from a variety of sources including SOED and its publication `Student Grants'. Those who had seen this booklet felt more satisfied with the information available than those who had not.

   Generally, student did not seem to be particularly well informed about financial matters at the time they applied for an FHE course, particularly over bursaries; and many further education students and around a third of parents said they found it difficult to discover, at the time of application, what payments, if any, they would receive.

   There was evidence of some dissatisfaction with the way applications for grant were handled by SOED: a quarter of students who had applied for grants thought the process had been inefficient in some respect. The main problems were over the speed of response to enquiries, grant cheques arriving late, and difficulty in getting information.

9. Accommodation This was a concern mostly of higher education students. The research revealed a gap between what higher education students felt should be done by institutions about accommodation for students - both in supplying general information and in providing specific help and guidance - and what in reality happens at present. One in 3 students was dissatisfied with the amount of information provided in advance about accommodation, and 1 in 8 about the accuracy of the information given. One in 3 students found the type and cost of accommodation available in the area in which they were studying were less satisfactory than they expected, compared with 1 in 4 who thought it better.
10. Equal Opportunities and Special Needs Over 8 out of 10 students, compared with fewer than 2 out of 3 parents, thought institutions were doing as much as they could to attract students of all types irrespective of sex, age or ethnic background.

    Efforts made to provide access for students with physical disabilities or learning difficulties were not perceived quite so favourably with 1 in 6 further education students and 1 in 4 higher education students thinking that their college or university had not been successful in making provision for people with special needs.

11. Campus Facilities and Services In assessing the facilities and services available on campus which they value most, students in both further and higher education attached a much higher value to having advice on careers and job vacancies and to the provision of medical services than to the provision of social and entertainment facilities.

    When asked specifically about the importance of having a student union on campus, over half of student felt this was very important and a further third that is was fairly important.

    Overall the majority of students thought that sufficient information about campus services was provided although 1 in 3 thought more was needed.

12. Overall Satisfaction The vast majority of students - more than 9 out of 10 - were satisfied with the institution they had attended, although only 2 out of 5 said they were very satisfied.
13. Conclusion The research provides a picture of generally high levels of satisfaction with most areas of further and higher education provision. However, a sometimes significant monority reported dissatisfactions with particular aspects.