Colleges Scotland is the voice of the college sector in Scotland.  24 colleges operate in 13 regions across Scotland, allowing them to plan nationally and regionally, as well as deliver locally, and there are three regional strategic bodies co-ordinating approaches for colleges in the Highlands and Islands, Glasgow, and Lanarkshire regions.

Vision

When Colleges Thrive, Scotland Thrives. Colleges Scotland as the voice of the sector supports the delivery of thriving colleges at the heart of a thriving Scotland.

Purpose

Colleges Scotland exists to promote, influence and exemplify colleges as they deliver world-class education and training to students and their contribution to Scotland’s economic, climate, social, and international ambitions.

Colleges Scotland Strategy 2022 – 2026

View Colleges Scotland Strategy 2022 - 2026.  Colleges Scotland is the Membership organisation for colleges across the country: campaigning, advocating and influencing policy on behalf of the sector, and at the heart of a world class college sector that is recognised, valued, and available to all. Colleges Scotland is a connecting organisation, harnessing the capacity of wider sector resource to produce greater impact and have more influence with key stakeholders.  Our organisation is proud to support the delivery of Scottish Government objectives, and facilitate sustainable funding to the sector, while at the same time developing opportunities for further funding in a challenging financial climate.

Our outputs are accountable, transparent and accessible. We are making and will continue to make positive changes in the policy landscape, and we demonstrate our impact effectively to our Members, decision makers, the media, college students and staff, and the general public. We listen to our Members and are highly responsive to developing events which may impact on their success. Colleges are recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic and this Strategy is designed to help our Members succeed in that recovery.  Last year the sector published a refreshed Statement of Ambition which also aligns with the work Colleges Scotland will take forward. When colleges thrive, Scotland thrives.

College Sector Statement of Ambition

The pdf College Sector's Statement of Ambition (873 KB)  to support a thriving economy by creating a highly-skilled workforce which matches the demands of employers.

The bold five-pronged Statement of Ambition, which was contributed to by every college in Scotland along with other key stakeholders, highlights the sector’s plans to support a green national recovery programme, to extend its reach within local communities, to develop work-based training, to grow regional partnerships and to provide locally focused and targeted learning for every student.

Annual Report

We have published our  pdf Annual Report 2022-23 (874 KB) .

The report sets out our activity, achievements and progress as the membership organisation for all 24 colleges in Scotland over the past year.