UHI Rural and Islands College merger proposal: consultation analysis

9. Annex C – Gaelic Board – Late Response (Received 23 May).

Tairgse Co-Aonadh nan Colaistean Dùthchail is Eileanach: co-chomhairle

Freagairt Bhòrd na Gàidhlig

04 An Cèitean 2023

Ceist 1

Dè ur beachd air tairgse co-aonadh nan colaistean?

Tha co-aonadh nan trì colaistean a’ cruthachadh cothrom gus eòlas air a’ Ghàidhlig agus a cultar a bhith air a sgaoileadh thar nan trì colaistean agus do na h-ionadan ionnsachaidh uile a tha an lùib na buidhne aonaichte agus barrachd mothachaidh, ionnsachadh agus cleachdadh na Gàidhlig a bhith ann.

Ceist 2

Dè ur beachd a thaobh buaidh a’ cho-aonaidh air solar is lìbhrigeadh foghlaim adhartaich is àrd-ìre ann an roinn na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean?

Tha Bòrd na Gàidhlig a’ cur fàilte gu h-àraidh air na prìomh-chuspairean is buannachdan a leanas air a bheilear a’ toirt iomradh sa Phàipear Co-chomhairleachaidh.

Prìomh-chuspairean (t-d10)

A’ sgaoileadh cultar na roinne tro Ghàidhlig, dualchainntean sgìreil, is cultaran Lochlannach: leanaidh a’ cholaiste cho-aonaichte oirre ag obair le buidhnean nàiseanta na Gàidhlig gus taic nas treasa a thabhann do leasachadh foghlam tidsearan na Gàidhlig agus le dealbhadh prògraman lìbhrigidh air-loidhne is cothlaimte, bho chùrsaichean goirid gu làn-cheum oilthighe air-loidhne.

Prìomh-bhuannachdan do choimhearsnachdan (td11)

A’ cur prosbaig air cultar, traidisean is cànan mar thaic airson a bhith a’ gleidheadh aithne ionadail air feadh na Gàidhealtachd, an Eilein Sgitheanaich ´s na h-Eileanan, nam measg, rùn gun tèid ath-bheothachadh na Gàidhlig a sparradh air adhart.

Prìomh-bhuannachdan do dh’oileanaich (t-d10)

Meudachadh stuth-teagaisg nan cùrsaichean air-loidhne airson ionnsachadh cunbhalach, sàr-mhath fhaighinn ge brith càit an roghnaich thu bhith nad oileanach.

Dh’fhaodadh cùrsaichean measgaichte/air-loidhne/aghaidh ri aghaidh cothrom a thoirt air cùrsaichean far nach fheumar an t-àite-fuirich atharrachadh.

Prìomh-bhuannachdan do luchd-obrach (t-d11)

Barrachd chothroman air leasachadh pearsanta is proifeiseanta, nam measg, adhartas, fo-fhastaidhean agus speisealachdan.

Dh’fhaodar an cùrsa Gàidhlig airson Adhbharan Obrach a th’ air a tabhann an-dràsta do luchd-obrach aig OGE Innse Gall, OGE na Gàidhealtachd a Tuath is OGE na Gàidhealtachd an Iar a leudachadh fhathast.

Tha e cudromach gu bheil cothrom ann air Bogadh sa Ghàidhlig gus an cùm daoine ann am foghlam Gàidhlig orra a’ togail a’ chànain taobh a-muigh suidheachadh sgoile, le pàirt chudromach aig co-bhannan sgoile/colaiste ann an raointean leithid Cùram Slàinte is Sòisealta, Cùram-cloinne agus Meadhanan Didseateach Cruthachail.

Mholamaid gun tèid planaichean a dheasachadh ann am pàirt dhen tairgse co-aonaidh gus am bithear comasach air raon de chuspairean a lìbhrigeadh tron Ghàidhlig, gu h-àraidh mar chulaidh-taice do sgoiltean. Le seo, dh’fhaodar luchd-obrach nan colaistean a chleachdadh gus cùrsaichean Ìre as Àirde a lìbhrigeadh, an dàrna cuid aghaidh ri aghaidh air neo air-loidhne.

Bhiomaid an dùil gun deigheadh Measadh Buaidh air Coimhearsnachdan Eileanach a dhèanamh mar phàirt de phròiseas a’ cho-aonaidh. Feumaidh seo buaidhean air a’ Ghàidhlig fhèin a ghabhail a-steach, mar a tha stiùireadh o Riaghaltas na h-Alba a’ moladh.

Ceist 3

Dè cho mòr ’s a dh’aontaicheadh sibh ri reusanachadh a’ cho-aonaidh mar a chaidh a mhìneachadh le Bòrd Stiùiridh nan trì colaistean?

Ag aontachadh gu mòr

Ag aontachadh

Ag eas-aontachadh

Ag eas-aontachadh gu mòr

Thoiribh adhbharan airson ur freagairt.

Ceist 4:

Dè a’ bhuaidh, ma bhios gin ann, a bhios aig a’ cho-aonadh air a’ bhuidheann agaibh fhèin, agus air luchd-cleachdaidh sheirbheisean, luchd-obrach is luchd-cosnaidh a dh’fhaodadh a bhith agaibh san àm ri teachd?

Tha Bòrd na Gàidhlig, mar a’ prìomh bhuidheann phoblach ann an Alba airson na Gàidhlig, a’ co-obrachadh leis na trì colaistean seo mar-thà. Leis an aonachadh bidh cothrom ann buaidh nas motha, agus nas èifeachdaiche a bhith aig an obair seo.

Ceist 5:

A bheil beachd sam bith agaibh air an ainm ùr a thathar a’ moladh don cholaiste cho-aonaichte?

Bhiomaid am dùil gum biodh a’ cholaiste aonaichte a’ cur air adhart dearbh-aithne dhà-chànanach, agus mar sin a’ togail mothachadh agus a’ coileanadh nan dùilean gum bi a’ cholaiste ag obair air feadh nan coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig traidiseanta agus a’ toirt seirbheis an dà chuid do luchd-labhairt agus luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig. Bhiodh seo an uair sin a’ stiùireadh mar a tha suaicheantasan agus dearbh-aithne lèirsinneach eile a’ toirt seachad dearbh-aithne dà-chànanach, a’ toirt follaiseachd cho-ionann dhan Ghàidhlig.

Rural and Islands College Merger proposal: consultation

Bòrd na Gàidhlig Response

04 May 2023

Question 1

What are your views on the college merger proposal?

The merger of the three colleges creates an opportunity for the expertise in Gaelic language and culture to be disseminated across the three colleges and for all learning centres involved in the merged body to have increased awareness, learning and use of Gaelic.

Question 2

How do you view the impact of the merger on further and higher education provision and delivery in the Highlands and Islands region?

Bòrd na Gàidhlig particularly welcome the following key themes and benefits that are referred to in the Consultation Paper.

Key themes (p10)

Enabling the region’s culture through Gaelic language, regional dialects, and Nordic cultures: the merged college will continue to work with national Gaelic agencies to take a stronger role in supporting the development of Gaelic teacher education and through development of online and blended delivery programmes ranging from short courses to full online degree.

Key benefits for communities (p11)

Proactively focusing on culture, tradition and language to support the retainment of local identities across the Highlands, Skye and Western Isles, including a commitment to drive forward the revitalisation of Gaelic.

Key benefits for students (p10)

Enhanced online course content ensuring consistent, high-quality learning, wherever you choose to study.

Delivery of hybrid/online/face-to-face courses could have the potential to allow access to courses without having to relocate.

Key benefits for staff (p11)

Increased personal and professional development opportunities including progression, secondments and specialisms.

The current offer of Gaelic for Work Purposes course to staff at UHI Outer Hebrides, UHI North Highland and UHI West Highland could be further expanded.

Ensuring access to Immersion in Gaelic is important to allow those in Gaelic-medium education to continue their exposure to the language beyond a school setting, with school/college partnerships playing an important role in areas such as Health & Social Care, Childcare and Creative Digital Media.

We would recommend that part of the merger proposals could include plans to build capacity to deliver such a range of subjects in the medium of Gaelic, in particular to support schools. This could include using college staff to deliver Senior Phase courses in either face-to-face or online settings.

We would expect that an Islands Communities Impact Assessment would be undertaken as part of the merger process. Reflecting Scottish Government guidance, this needs to include the impacts on the Gaelic language.

Question 3

To what extent do you agree with the rationale for merger as set out by the Board of Management of the three colleges?

Strongly agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 4

What impact, if any, will the merger have on your own organisation, and your service

users, staff and potential employees?

Bòrd na Gàidhlig, as the principal public body in Scotland for Gaelic, already collaborates to various extents with the three existing colleges. The merger will enable this work to have greater impact and be more efficient.

Question 5

Do you have any views on the proposed new name of the merged college?

We would expect the identity of the merged college to promote a bilingual identity, thereby raising awareness and satisfying expectations that the college will work across the traditional Gaelic-speaking communities and serve both existing speakers and learners of Gaelic. This would then steer how logos and other visual identities represent a bilingual identity, giving equal prominence to the Gaelic language.