College of the Future

College of the Future
Dr Ken Thomson OBE

Many years ago, we at Forth Valley College produced what we thought was one of the best online training courses for the new biotechnology industry, and I was particularly impressed with some of the animations we had designed. We set up a meeting to showcase our work and with chests puffed out asked our audience what they thought. “Why would I want that?”, said one of the Managing Directors present.

We thought we were creating a very good product, which we thought industry wanted. But what we had neglected to do, was to do our homework and find out  what the industry needed. Lesson learned.

That’s why when the recent East Central Scotland Colleges Collaboration, consisting of Edinburgh, Fife, West Lothian and Forth Valley Colleges, was unveiled recently, we worked together to come up with a number of opportunities, not on what we think employers will want during the current and impending Covid induced economic downturn, but on what we know they need, after thorough discussions with them.

In further discussions with my three Principal colleagues, we realised that as we enter 2021, there would be an urgent need for upskilling, reskilling, training and new ways of delivering learning and we wanted to respond proactively with solutions specific to the needs of our communities.

It is with this “want” versus “need”, I had in mind when I prepared my speech for a special online event organised by the Association of Colleges and Colleges Scotland on Monday 14 December and focussed on the Independent Commission on the College of the Future and the launch of the Scottish College of the Future.

Launched in Spring 2019, the Independent Commission was commissioned by the Four Nations College Alliance – which brought  together college leaders, their representative bodies, employer groups, trade unions, the student voice, academia and senior government officials from across the four nations of the UK.

It seems to me that subconsciously, our sector leading four college partnership in East Central Scotland, may reflect what is happening across the whole of the UK.

So what should a college of the future actually look like? Well it should be a truly flexible tertiary education system of equal partners. It should build on the

Enterprise and Skills Strategy, the Digital Ambition Vision, our ongoing work to encourage more STEM learning and innovation, and it should also focus on widening access to potential students - from those leaving school and looking to change careers, to those hoping to retrain or graduate through our range of apprenticeship qualifications and many more.

A college of the future should look outward to a global audience, seek innovation and drive change.  An example of this is the recently launched Modern Apprenticeship Fuel Change Challenge - a dragons’ den for MAs across Scotland who are developing ideas which could help industries of all kind meet their Net Zero emission targets in the next few years.

A college of the future should also always strive to improve and enhance their existing core values. At FVC for instance, we always try to offer and epitomise the right learning, at the right time in the right place. We endeavour to lead by example and we are guided by our values; Respect, Innovate, Trust and Excellence, in all that we do.

FVC’s Vision 2030, forms a whole governance framework for my college for the next five to 10 years and in the Forth Valley area, my college has a recognised role as a catalyst for innovation, for our economy and communities.

That’s why I believe that the Independent Commission’s College of the Future report and the Scottish College of the future should be a framework for action, a roadmap and a line of sight which, reassuringly, dovetails seamlessly with FVC’s own vision.

To start this blog, I relayed how I was asked the question: “Why would I want that?” by an unconvinced Managing Director. Well the College of the Future report would definitely clear up any ambiguity on behalf of any stakeholders, employers, partners, students and staff. The College of the Future would be very clear in why it is wanted, in fact, the time is just right for something we now need, a guiding light for the future.

Not that I counted them, as there’s a tool on the computer to tell me, but the word ‘system’ is repeated 92 times in this document. The report is about a clear framework of action and can become a national enabler, it should provide an opportunity for all to believe in the College sector, as part of a whole Scottish educational system approach.

Forth Valley College, which is regularly commended for its ground-breaking and unique whole system ‘Making Learning Work’ ethos, is living proof of how successful a whole system approach can be.

But we can’t do this alone, every college needs to embrace the vision for the future of colleges: that the college of the future will empower people throughout their lives with the skills they need to get on in life, support better productivity and innovation of businesses, and strengthen every community’s sense of place.

 That’s something everyone, yes even including my managing director friend, would want!