Review of further education governance in Scotland

Annexe F - Extract from Scottish Government Pre-Legislative Paper 'Putting Learners at the Centre'

Key Points for the FE Sector

How the FE sector balances the delivery of crucial economic and social benefits given that social equality and fairness through widening access has to be a key part of what FE should do.

FE should be

• Sustainable: a system that makes optimal use of the resource available
• Open to all: a system that gives all those that can benefit the opportunity to do so, removing barriers to access where they exist.
• Flexible: the post 16 system should offer a wide range of provision in different ways to meet the diverse needs of learners and businesses, demanding collaboration and co-operation between and across all sectors that contribute to learner outcomes and meeting employer needs.
• Learner - centred: funding systems and provision should be designed around the needs of learners and should be simple, transparent and accessible.
• Focussed on jobs and growth: taking account of employment and wider economic needs
• Diverse: encourage and nurture diversity and encourage institutions and providers to focus on the areas where they excel and add most value.
• Excellent: set the highest ambition for learners.
• International: recognised internationally.
• Well led: strong, properly governed institutions which are financially stable and who are leading innovation and change across the post 16 landscape.

Colleges are expected to plan their provision taking into account the needs of their local economy and in partnership with other local agencies in particular Community Planning Partnerships.

Colleges face a difficult challenge in balancing the needs of employers with the aspirations of students and the economics of running financially viable provision.