Post-school funding body landscape simplification: outline business aase

Purpose

To develop new thinking, products and systems through research and to ensure that people, at every stage in life, have the opportunity and means to develop the skills, knowledge, values and attributes to fulfil their potential and to make a meaningful contribution to society.

Principles

Long Term System Outcomes

Initial Priorities

Transparent, Resilient and Trusted

The system is financially and environmentally resilient; trusted to deliver, and subject to effective governance.

Public funding models for education, skills and research are fair, transparent, and maximise value.

All parts of the post-school system are trusted to deliver, environmentally and financially resilient and held to account for their impacts on learners, practitioners, local communities, and the wellbeing economy.

Collaboration across the post-school system is pursued proactively with shared values and a common purpose.

To lead the development of a new model of public funding for all forms of provision.

To investigate the options to deliver a single funding body, including tuition and living cost support, paying regard to issues such as the status and scope of the body’s responsibilities.

To include responsibility for overseeing all publicly funded post-school qualifications (except degrees) and the underpinning occupational standards and skills frameworks as part of the new qualifications body.

Supportive and Equitable

People are supported throughout their learning journey, particularly those who need it most.

The public funding system for student support is perceived as fair, transparent and accessible by learners, providers and employers.

Learners have access to holistic, person-centred support, empowering them to access, sustain and complete their learning.

Within financial constraints, build on manifesto commitments and undertake a review of student support for part-time learners to improve the parity of support on offer, especially for those who are returning to learning and may have other caring or work-related responsibilities.

Develop a model for student support and engagement that takes account of all provision pathways and not just further and higher education, including considering apprenticeships and CLD.

High Quality

High quality opportunities are available for people to enhance their

knowledge and skills at the time and place that is right for them.

A motivated and valued workforce of practitioners are empowered to deliver consistent high-quality learning opportunities.

Learners have the skills and knowledge they need to secure or progress in sustained employment that is well-aligned to local, national and international economic and social need.

The system supports a culture of lifelong learning with a 'no wrong door' approach, where learners have equity of access and opportunity to fulfil their interests and potential.

Build on the work of the recommendations from the Careers Review to consider options for embedding careers advice and education within communities, educational settings and workplaces across Scotland; including options for future delivery of national careers services.

Build a comprehensive understanding of the post-school qualifications landscape to inform processes for developing, funding, assuring and approving publicly funded qualifications, and actions for wider reform of the qualifications landscape - including improved articulation with the senior phase.

Lead work to inform our future approach to apprenticeship development and delivery as part of an integrated landscape of pathways.

Work with institutions, public bodies and unions to ensure that staff at all levels are supported and empowered to deliver the high-quality work required by students, society and the wellbeing economy, in keeping with fair work principles.

Globally Respected

Research, teaching, innovation and knowledge exchange undertaken by Scotland, must make a difference; enhance and contribute to global wellbeing, addressing 21st Century challenges such as the climate emergency and attracting inward investment and talent to study, live and work in Scotland.

Scotland's post-school system is internationally recognised for research, teaching, and innovation, leveraging substantial funding from international and domestic sources.

Providers attract and retain a highly trained teaching, innovation, and research workforce with global reach and impact.

Scotland's internationally competitive economy is underpinned by world-leading research, teaching, innovation and knowledge exchange, driving inward investment and productivity.

Use and improve Study in Scotland materials as part of our approach though NSET to talent attraction and retention.

Take forward a pilot international mobility programme co-designed with sector representatives.

Continue to seek to influence the UK Government to secure our future association to Horizon Europe and other EU research programmes and ensure Scottish interests are protected regardless of outcome.

Agile and Responsive

Everybody in the system collaborates to deliver in the

best interests of Scotland’s wellbeing economy

Collaboration between policymakers, employers and providers produces a supply of talent and innovation to help drive Scotland's wellbeing economy.

Learners, no matter their background or prior attainment, can develop skills to enter and progress in good quality employment and/or realise their potential.

Scotland has an aligned and responsive regional skills delivery system fuelling a suitably skilled and motivated workforce, increasing productivity and business success at local, regional and national level.

To take responsibility for skills planning – developing an approach at a national level that works with partners to set clear priorities.

Enhance and embed the role of employers in shaping system planning priorities, pathways and provision.

This will be supported by a regional approach that builds on existing regional economic partnerships and has employers and local providers, in particular colleges, at the centre.