Report highlights success of region’s colleges

A new report has revealed that 69.4% of full-time further education students successfully completed their studies at Highlands and Islands colleges in the 2015 to 2016 academic year. This represents an increase on the figures from the previous year, which showed that 67.6% of full-time students passed further education courses in Highlands and Islands colleges in the 2014 to 2015 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 the previous year.

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: “This is a truly magnificent result by the regional colleges in the Highlands and Islands. During the past five years and, despite a funding cut of 25%, we have increased our regional activity by 15% and we now out-perform most of Scotland. This is a great result for all the hardworking college staff and the regional management team involved.”

The Scottish Funding Council’s College Performance Indicators 2015-16 statistical publication is available at: www.sfc.ac.uk/communications/Statisticalpublications/2017/SFCST012017.aspx