By Gavin Donoghue, CEO, Colleges Scotland

This week, Scotland hosted its first-ever National Innovation Week, a landmark celebration of the country’s rich legacy of invention and its bold ambitions for the future. With a packed programme of events, workshops, and the flagship National Innovation Summit in Edinburgh, the week has shone a spotlight Scotland’s leadership in transformative technologies – from AI and health tech to energy transition and advanced manufacturing.

But behind the headlines and high-profile summits lies a powerful, often underappreciated force driving innovation across the country – Scotland’s colleges.

Colleges as Catalysts for Innovation

Scotland’s 24 colleges serve over 218,000 students annually and contribute an estimated £52 billion to the economy over the working lives of their graduates. These institutions are not just centres of learning – they are anchor institutions embedded in their communities and the skills engines of their regional economies uniquely positioned to respond to national economic needs and innovation priorities.  

In recent years, colleges have stepped up as key enablers of innovation, particularly through initiatives like the College Local Innovation Centres (CLIC). Funded by Innovate UK, CLIC is a £1.2 million pilot project involving six colleges across Glasgow and the West of Scotland. These centres are designed to support over 200 businesses in sectors such as health, sustainability, advanced manufacturing, and digital technologies.

Each centre offers tailored support – from advisory services to hands-on help with adopting cutting-edge technologies – ensuring that innovation is not just the domain of large corporations, but accessible to SMEs and community enterprises alike.

In Glasgow, for example, the CLIC programme has already supported over 300 businesses, helping them improve digital maturity and adopt new technologies. This regional impact is a model for how colleges can bridge the gap between education and enterprise, especially in underserved areas.

Aligning with Scotland’s Innovation Strategy

Scotland’s National Innovation Strategy identifies four priority areas: advanced manufacturing, energy transition, health and life sciences, and data and digital technologies. Colleges are aligning their programmes and partnerships to support these sectors – whether through the use of robotics and Virtual Reality, AI workshops, or green energy training.

A powerful example of collaborative innovation is unfolding in Edinburgh through the newly launched CONSOLIDATE network. This initiative is focused on developing technologies that improve the quality of life for people living with dementia. Edinburgh College is partnering with Heriot-Watt University, the University of Strathclyde, and Age Scotland to co-design practical solutions that address the needs of the projected 1.4 million people in the UK expected to be living with dementia by 2040.

Meanwhile, Borders College has been working to create connections between the Borders and Edinburgh, with support from the University of Edinburgh's Bayes Centre and School of Informatics. This project has focused on developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in key sectors including agritech, creative industries and healthcare and embedding entrepreneurial skills in both staff and students.

A Call to Action

Projects like those taking place in Edinburgh and Glasgow highlight the value of a joined-up approach between the innovation and R&D ecosystem and the skills and education sector. Colleges are already shaping the workforce of tomorrow, and it’s vital that their role within the broader innovation landscape is recognised and supported.

Colleges are not just part of the solution—they are leading the way. Colleges are Scotland’s skills engines, connected to local businesses, and community anchors. With the right investment and policy support, colleges can scale their impact, close skills gaps, and help realise Scotland’s ambition to become a global innovation nation.

As we celebrate National Innovation Week, let’s recognise and amplify the role of our colleges in shaping Scotland’s future – not just as world-class educators, but as innovators, collaborators, and changemakers.