Question reference: S5O-02040
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 25 April 2018
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Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what response it has had from universities regarding the announcement that every institution will be provided with a toolkit to challenge violence on campus.
Answer
The Scottish Government was pleased to fund the development of a Toolkit for higher education institutions to develop coherent responses to tackling and eradicating violence against women and girls.
My Letter of Guidance to the Scottish Funding Council is clear about my expectation of institutions adopting and working with the Toolkit, which itself builds on good practice in the sector.
I am encouraged by the positive engagement that we have had from the sector through Universities Scotland on this issue.
To support the sector, both Universities and Colleges, I inaugurated a Working Group specifically to look at Equally Safe in Further and Higher Education.
I am pleased that the Sector is already demonstrating action.
Universities Scotland are taking the lead in working with stakeholders including the College Development Network, NUS Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid and UCU Scotland in developing Support Cards. Work is underway to have these ready by the start of the new academic year and they will contain key national helpline numbers.
Alongside this we are also working with stakeholders on how to make best use of Fresher’s week, parallel colleges arrangements, and beyond, to share information and raise awareness.