School research plan 2023 to 2026

Objective 2: Collaboration with key partners

In recent years, we have developed valuable relationships with a range of users and producers of educational research. This has largely been via our National Advisory Group and Academic Reference Group which bring together the Scottish Government with educational stakeholders representing public bodies, universities and professional networks. These groups act as effective channels through which to share evidence, ideas, and expertise.

Our networks of educational stakeholders are likely to see transformation in the coming years with the development of three new national bodies – an independent inspectorate, a qualifications body, and a national agency to replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Education Scotland. This presents an opportunity to establish greater collaboration between the research functions of the Scottish Government and other educational bodies, particularly in producing evidence to support the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of education reform. We are committed to working closely with these bodies to support the development of their own research functions and to ensure their inclusion in existing education research networks.

Cross-sector collaboration will, thus, remain an integral part of our work. To achieve this, we will continue to work with public bodies, universities and professional networks via our National Advisory Group and Academic Reference Group. This may include: identifying joint priorities and shared evidence needs; synergising and aligning research agendas; the co-design and co-delivery of research and evaluation; and sharing learning.

National Advisory Group

The National Advisory Group (NAG) was established in 2017 to feed into the development and evolution of the aforementioned Research Strategy for Scottish Education. The remit of the NAG is to:

• seek out opportunities for collaboration and, where appropriate, the pooling of resources – e.g. joint procurement/commissioning of research, opportunities to collaborate with regard to knowledge exchange/ dissemination of research findings
• where relevant, to lead and/or provide input into the activity of focused short-life working groups or sub-groups
• share updates regarding each organisation’s/institution’s ongoing, planned and future research activities

External membership of the NAG will include senior colleagues with responsibility for and/or oversight of (educational) research from the following key stakeholder organisations:

• Education Scotland
• Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
• Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)
• General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)
• Scottish Council of Deans of Education (SCDE)
• Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP)
• Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Academic Reference Group

An Academic Reference Group (ARG) was established in 2017 to offer advice and guidance on the future direction of the Research Strategy for Scottish Education.

The purpose of the ARG is to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between Scottish Government analysts, policy makers and university researchers. The ARG will act as a vehicle for knowledge exchange between analysts and users of research across government, academia and educational practice. We will work with members to develop and/or improve opportunities and channels for knowledge exchange with the aim to translate knowledge into impact.

Membership is drawn from the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Education Committee and all eleven universities represented by the Scottish Council of Deans of Education, and will include at least one member who can represent research interests relating to Gaelic Medium Education.

In order to diversify membership of the ARG, the group will include two representatives per academic institution:

• one well-established, senior, research active colleague, preferably with a knowledge exchange role within their institution
• one early career researcher (within five years of graduation from PhD or Ed.D)