Education, Children and Young People Committee
Colleges regionalisation inquiry
Background
In February 2012, Scottish Ministers announced changes to the college landscape as part of wider reforms introduced by the Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act. This led to the formation of 13 college regions. During this time, college mergers reduced the number of colleges down from 41 in 2011 to 26 currently. The majority of these colleges sit within the 13 regions.
Recent reviews by the Scottish Funding Council have recommended more changes to the way multi-regional colleges are run and closer collaboration between colleges and universities.
View a breakdown of colleges by region
Highlands and Islands
- Argyll College UHI
- Inverness College UHI
- Lews Castle College UHI
- Moray College UHI
- North Highland College UHI
- Orkney College UHI
- Perth College UHI
- Shetland College UHI
- West Highland College UHI
Glasgow
- Glasgow Kelvin College
- Glasgow Clyde College
- City of Glasgow College
Lanarkshire
- South Lanarkshire College
- New College Lanarkshire
Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
- North East Scotland College
Ayrshire
- Ayrshire College
Borders
- Borders College
Forth Valley
- Forth Valley College
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Dumfries & Galloway College
- Edinburgh and Lothians
- Edinburgh College
Fife
- Fife College
Tayside
- Dundee and Angus College
West
- West College Scotland
West Lothian
- West Lothian College
Outwith regional arrangements
- Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI
- Newbattle Abbey College
- Scotland's Rural College
Your views
The call for views closed on 6 May 2022.
View the responses.
The Committee looked at what has been learned from this over the past decade and how this might inform future change within sector.
It sought views on college regionalisation regarding on the following topics:
- what has worked well in the college sector in the years following regionalisation?
- how might the sector further improve in the years ahead?
- how might colleges adapt in light of current challenges such as those resulting from COVID-19?
- what should be the priorities of the college sector in the years ahead?
Engagement
The Committee held an informal engagement session with senior figures from Developing The Young Workforce.
Read the notes from the meeting (155KB, pdf) posted 13 June 2023
Report
The Committee published its report of the College Regionalisation Inquiry on 21 March 2023 and received its response to the report from the Scottish Government.
Read the response from the Scottish Government (146KB, pdf) posted 12 June 2023
Timetable
Committee Meetings
The Committee took evidence on the 1st, 8th and 15th June, 21st September, 5th October and 2nd November 2022.