Report highlights success of region’s colleges

A new report has revealed that 67.6% of full-time students successfully completed their studies at Highlands and Islands colleges in the 2014 to 2015 academic year. This is higher than the national average figure which shows that 64% of students passed further education courses at Scottish colleges in the period.

The statistics were published in the Scottish Funding Council’s college performance indicators report last month. The number of part-time students who successfully completed their courses at Highlands and Islands colleges was also found to be higher than average.

The findings are the latest positive results for the region’s colleges. A Scottish Funding Council report published at the end of last year highlighted that 85.8% of full-time further education students who left Highlands and Islands colleges in the 2013 to 2014 session were in a positive destination (such as employment or training) three to six months after leaving. This compared to 82.9% nationally.

The Highlands and Islands further education region consists of North Highland College UHI, Orkney College UHI, Shetland College UHI, Argyll College UHI, West Highland College UHI, Lews Castle College UHI, Moray College UHI, Inverness College UHI and Perth College UHI. The University of the Highlands and Islands Court, through the Further Education Regional Board, is accountable for all college and university-level education in the Highlands and Islands.

Dr Michael Foxley, chair of the Highland and Islands Further Education Regional Board, welcomed the report’s findings saying: “These statistics are very encouraging and are a great credit to the colleges within our region who are striving very hard to provide high quality further education to meet the needs of their communities. However, good though these are, the board is still planning to do better, as the targets in our 2016-17 outcome agreement with the Scottish Funding Council confirms. We are determined to maximise the opportunities for our communities through the many university and college learning centres across the Highlands and Islands.”

The Scottish Funding Council’s College Performance Indicators 2014-15 statistical publication is available at:

www.sfc.ac.uk/communications/Statisticalpublications/2016/SFCST012016.aspx