Glasgow and Lanarkshire college regions - Regional Strategic Bodies review: consultation

1. Introduction

The purpose of this consultation is to ask your views on our plans to change the college regionalisation arrangements in Glasgow and Lanarkshire college regions.

Background

The college sector was restructured in 2014 to create 13 college regions, 10 of which are served by one single college and three of which are served by more than one college. The three multi-college regions are Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Highlands and Islands.

The aims of college regionalisation were to reduce duplication of provision, streamline quality learner pathways and ensure closer alignment to regional economies.

In the single college regions, new statutory duties were placed on the colleges to ensure they fulfilled these aims.

In the multi-college regions, it was recognised that fulfilling these aims would require individual colleges to collaborate. They would need to jointly plan and provide for the needs of learners and businesses in the region, as well as the needs of their specific college. To ensure this, a new statutory body was introduced called a Regional Strategic Body (RSB). The RSB is governed by a Board with a Ministerially appointed and remunerated Chair and is responsible for securing coherent provision of fundable further and higher education across the colleges in its region.

There are three multi-college regions: Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Highlands and Islands. For the purposes of this consultation, the focus is on the Glasgow and Lanarkshire college regions.