South West Educational Pathways
Register with us
Register with us to view a personalised homepage and to receive emails relating to your interests.
Register here“This work can be replicated in other areas with trust and with good collaboration between partners.”
Gillian Brydson, Executive Director, Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing, Dumfries and Galloway Council.
This pilot project was a partnership between Dumfries and Galloway College, the University of the West of Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council. It has made substantial progress in its ambition to provide integrated pathways into a broader range of education and training programmes at all levels of learning.
Working closely together, the project partners developed pilot programmes for senior-stage pupils at school which then led to two new integrated degree pathways; BSc Cybersecurity and BA Business. Using their new knowledge and experience, they then moved into other sectors, exploring opportunities in Health and Social Care and Creative Industries.
Project Aims and Objectives
The aim of this pilot project was to strengthen the partnership working model between the University of the West of Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway College by delivering a fresh approach to joint regional portfolio planning.
Objectives:
- Identification of at least two new degree pathways to be delivered locally.
- Joint launch of the identified degree pathways.
- Growth in application to degree level study in Dumfries and Galloway.
- A more efficient learner journey that provides a cost-effective (to students and organisations), high quality option for degree level study.
Key Working/Strategic Groups Established to Deliver the Project
Academic and Professional Service Teams: These teams included members of the executive teams of both the University of the West of Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway College, academic subject leads, and senior staff responsible for school and applicant engagement. They meet regularly to monitor and manage the progress of the pathfinder programmes.
Employer Skills Reference Groups: Groups were formed in key areas (e.g. Business, Computing) to facilitate collaboration with employers, guest lectures, and real-world projects that enhance learning experiences and employability.
Outputs Delivered
Expansion of the Foundation Academy: The Academy was originally set up to support senior-stage pupils at school to progress to college or university. Under the pilot project it was expanded to include new integrated pathway programmes in cyber security and business.
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.
SFC Strategic Plan 2022-27
Building a connected, agile, sustainable tertiary education and research system for Scotland.