Chamber and committees

Institutions have been informed of the outcome of their applications for funding from the Scottish Educational Exchange Test and Learn project, with projects already underway.

The Scottish Government works with the Scottish Funding Council, Colleges Scotland, and College Boards to ensure good governance.

We also engage with regional strategic boards, trade unions, student associations, and the College Development network, through the Good Governance Steering Group, to ensure the implementation of governance improvements across the sector.

In my statement to Parliament on 5 December 2023, I reiterated my commitment to streamline funding for colleges, universities and apprenticeships. As a first step, this means bringing together funding for student support into one place and funding for apprenticeships into one place.

The Scottish Government will provide further detail shortly.

The Scottish Government does not hold information about meetings between College Employers Scotland and trade unions.

However, it is my intention, in the coming weeks, to convene a roundtable discussion, with all partners, to discuss the next steps.

Seven of the Scottish Government’s international offices held Burns Night celebrations; three events were held in co-ordination with the respective UK Government offices and representatives.

Below is a list of the seven offices and where they were held in collaboration with UK Government representatives.

Beijing

Berlin (co-hosted with the British Ambassador with both UK and SG representatives attending)

Brussels

Copenhagen (co-produced, co-hosted, and co-funded with the British Ambassador with both UK and SG representatives attending)

Dublin

London

Washington DC (coordinated in collaboration with UK representatives)

Throughout February 2024 the Scottish Government is undertaking consultation events with members of the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group on the draft Student Mental Health Action Plan. Following this, and the completion of attendant Impact Assessments, the Scottish Government will publish the Student Mental Health Action Plan .

The draft Plan sets out our expectations for institutions on supporting student mental health and wellbeing and how the Scottish Government will work with them and the wider public sector to give effect to those. It recognises the critical importance of early intervention and prevention and ensuring effective access to a diverse range of community-based clinical and non-clinical services. It outlines the significant levels of Scottish Government investment in mental health and wellbeing support which students can access. It makes clear the importance of providing timely clinical acute care for those who require it and how we will work with NHS Boards and institutions in this area.

The Good Governance Steering Group has had oversight of the implementation of the addition of trade union nominees to college boards.

The Good Governance Steering Group is monitoring the progress of trade union nominations and the Scottish Government expects the Group to continue to keep abreast of good governance in the college sector and to inform the Scottish Government of governance issues.

Creative Scotland provides funding to the Four Nations International Fund which fosters greater collaboration between cultural practitioners and/or organisations in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales together with international partners based in Europe and beyond.

The fund has a combined budget of £320,000 with co-investment from Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, and Arts Council Wales / Wales Arts International.

Further information on the Four Nations International Fund can be found on. Four Nations International Fund | Creative Scotland

The Scottish Government's International Education Strategy was published on 7 February 2024.

Scotland's International Education Strategy - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Scottish Government regularly engages with the UK Government and devolved government administrations in respect of student financial support matters. However, we have not been made aware of any issues relating to the conduct of Erudio Student Loans debt recovery practices that are impacting on Scottish borrowers.

If the member is aware of any specific issues for Scottish borrowers, they should be advised to contact Erudio Student Loans directly to raise their concerns. If, following that, they are not satisfied with the response then the issue can be taken to the Financial Ombudsman Service to consider.