Developing Demand-Led, Aligned and Sustainable Learner Pathways

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“Through this project, we’re actually mapping out a pathway a learner might take across all our organisations”

Emma Forster, Director Student Recruitment, Access and Admissions, Robert Gordon University

This project was jointly led by North East Scotland College (NESCol) and Robert Gordon University (RGU). It set out to deepen existing partnership approaches and worked towards a new education and skills infrastructure that was informed by industry and centred on students.

The partners identified new learner pathways in ten curriculum areas. They worked collaboratively to look at Higher National frameworks and identify new pathways into different academic schools within Robert Gordon University.

A joint working group informed marketing and recruitment strategies. This then facilitated further collaboration on the partners’ recruitment events to ensure joined up messaging around pathways and careers.

Project Aims and Objectives

The aim was to establish a sustainable, industry-informed, and student-centred education and skills infrastructure, creating demand-led, skills-aligned, learner pathways to address regional needs.

Objectives:

Create sustainable tertiary education, ensuring a seamless and aligned learner journey, representing better value to the public purse.
Develop a more efficient, responsive, and relevant shared course portfolio that supports regional and national education, and skills needs in key areas.
Produce a more effective and efficient approach to widening access and participation in further and higher education.

Key Working/Strategic Groups Established to Deliver the Project

Strategic Working Group: This group included staff from NESCol and RGU, meeting every six to eight weeks to enhance partnership working and align pathways to employment needs. Includes representation from SFC.

Pathfinder Steering Group: The steering group was made up of senior leaders from NESCol and RGU. It provided oversight and used knowledge of curriculum and regional developments to influence new pathways.

NESCol-RGU Collaborative Projects (Market Insight) Working Group: This group comprised marketing teams from both partners. It focussed on collaborative projects to inform marketing and recruitment strategies.

Curriculum Team Collaboration: This involved senior curriculum teams from NESCol and RGU, meeting regularly to enhance and develop new articulation pathways and ensure alignment of existing ones.

Joint Offer Letter Working Group: Includes Admissions and Student Recruitment teams from NESCol and RGU. It worked to improve and support a seamless pathway and smooth transition for students from HN to undergraduate study.

Outputs Delivered

Curriculum development collaboration and the development of new articulation routes: Approved and mapped for the academic year 2024 – 25 including multiple new pathways across different schools within RGU.

A shared approach to marketing, insights, analysis, and promotion offering seamless pathways from SCQF levels 6 to 10 and beyond. A joint Progression Pathway Matrix was developed.

Project Insights

The tables below provide insights into the project. They highlight the context in which the project tested new ways of working, enhanced learner pathways, and improved regional skills planning.

Open the Project Tables