Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill - Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) Record

Screening

Policy Aim

The Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill is an essential component of reforming the post-school education and skills public body landscape. The purpose of the Bill is to make provision for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to take full responsibility for the delivery of National Training Programmes (NTPs), apprenticeships and work-based learning. The Bill will also make consequential changes and other improvements to the SFC’s functions and governance arrangements.

The provisions within the Bill aim to simplify the post-school education funding landscape by conferring new responsibilities for the funding and administration of NTPs, apprenticeships and work-based learning by the SFC, which already secures the provision of further and higher education through funding. This will facilitate different, more transparent ways of funding apprenticeships and other work-based learning and training, so that the system is easier for learners to navigate. This will also help to ensure people have access to the skills and training that employers need.

This Equality Impact Assessment assesses only the impact of the provisions included within the Bill and not the policy evolution and development which it enables. Further impact assessments will be conducted at implementation stage and as consequent policies are developed.

The overarching objectives of the post-school education and skills reform programme are set out in the Purpose and Principles for Post-School Education, Research and Skills (“the Purpose and Principles”)^[1]:

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:

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

Supportive and Equitable: People are supported throughout their learning journey, particularly those who need it most.

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.

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

Agile and Responsive: Everybody in the system collaborates to deliver in the best interests of Scotland’s wellbeing economy.

A simplified post-school funding body landscape will contribute to the delivery of the following national outcomes in these specific ways:

1. Education: We are well educated, skilled and able to contribute to society

• Enables targeted and equitable distribution of funding that places children, young people and adult learners at the core.
• Less investment goes on administering the system, duplication is reduced, the quality of data is enhanced which enables more informed decision making and supports a national approach to skills planning.

2. Economy: We have a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive and sustainable economy

• Improved quality and availability of data supporting national and regional skills planning.
• More flexible models of funding are enabled within a streamlined system.
• Clear responsibility for funding innovation, research and knowledge exchange within institutions, underpinning Scotland’s globally competitive economy.

3. Fair Work and Business: We have thriving and innovative businesses, with quality jobs and fair work for everyone

• The way that funding flows through the system is clear; there is confidence across Scotland’s economy that the system delivers and clarity on the return on investment.

4. International: We are open, connected and make a positive contribution internationally

• Maintaining Scotland’s internationally renowned research base.

5. Poverty: We tackle poverty by sharing opportunities, wealth and power more equally

• Simplifying the funding body landscape, clarifying roles and responsibilities and removing duplication will enable more innovative and person-centred approaches to student support to be developed and delivered. This will enable learners, no matter their background, to access support to take up learning opportunities enhancing their career and life prospects.