02 - Scotland- Ongoing debates and future developments
Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities
The
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning agreed with
Universities Scotland in November 2007 to establish a Joint Future
Thinking Taskforce on Universities, chaired jointly by the Cabinet
Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning and the Convener of
Universities Scotland, Sir Muir Russell. Other members of the taskforce
include university Principals, Government officials and the Chair of
the Scottish Funding Council.
The taskforce's remit is to consider:
- how
to optimise and shape the contribution which the Scottish university
sector can make during the next 20 years to the Scottish economy, to
Scottish culture and society, and to the political priorities of the
Scottish Government; and
- what opportunities can be created and what barriers will need to be overcome to achieve that; and
- what resources will be needed and how they will be provided.
The taskforce is planning to agree challenges and next steps by the Summer of 2008.
Support for Students
In
May 2003 the Scottish Government announced the introduction of
financial support of up to £1,500 per year for all 16 to 19 year olds
from low-income families in schools and colleges, to encourage them to
continue their education beyond the date at which they are legally
allowed to leave school. A programme to provide Education Maintenance
Allowances (EMAs) for eligible 16 and 17 year olds was introduced in
2004/05. The full implementation to 16 to 19 year olds is being
completed in 2007/08.
Review of Scotland’s Colleges
The
Review was launched in June 2005 at the Annual Conference of the
Association of Scottish Colleges. This was the first major review of
the college sector since the colleges were incorporated in 1993. The
review has provided an important and robust evidence base as the
Executive's 2007 spending review.
School – College Partnerships
A
strategy was published in May 2005 explaining how the Scottish
Government will increase and further enhance school/college
partnerships. The aim is to give school aged pupils the opportunity to
benefit from a wide range of educational opportunities and equip them
with a variety of skills that prepare them for life, the workplace, and
the community.
Skills for Scotland
In
September 2007 the Scottish Government published Skills for Scotland –
A Lifelong Skills Strategy. This sets out approaches to: ensuring very
good foundations for young people's skills development at school;
developing potential by equipping individuals with needed skills;
developing the workforce; improving the provision of advice, guidance
and support services; and public investment in learning and training
providers. The Strategy was presented by the Cabinet Secretary for
Education and Lifelong Learning as a call to action by government,
learning providers, employers, local authorities and other partners –
and individual people. The publication includes appendices spelling out
the action that the several partners in the Strategy need to undertake.
A new body, Skills Development Scotland, has been created to take the
Skills Strategy forward. This brings together in the same organisation
four previously separate types of provision - Careers Scotland;
Scottish University for Industry (learndirect scotland, learndirect
scotland for business, ILA Scotland, The Big Plus); key skills elements
from Scottish Enterprise; and key skills elements from Highlands and
Islands Enterprise.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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