Civil servants' training: FOI release

Information requested

1. How many civil servants working within the Scottish government have a role which is focused upon international trade and exports, or trade policy?
2. Since 2016, how many civil servants, while in an international trade and exports, or trade policy-focused role, have undertaken as part of their learning and development a civil service funded or part-funded: (i) Master’s degree; (ii) postgraduate diploma; or (iii) postgraduate certificate?

• What were the titles of those courses?
• Which universities (or other higher education providers) delivered each of those courses?
• Were they online, blended learning or in-person delivered courses?
• How many were undertaken in each year since, and including, 2016?

3. What qualifications at Levels 4 and above (including postgraduate diplomas, postgraduate certificates and masters degrees), are most commonly funded or part-funded, to develop or strengthen domain knowledge for civil servants in international trade, export or trade policy focused roles?

• What are the titles of those qualification?
• With which specific higher education institutions or other providers do those civil servants most commonly study those courses?

4. Who, within the civil service, authorises a civil servant in a trade-focused role to undertake, as part of their training/learning and development, an employer funded or part-funded: (i) Master’s degree; (ii) postgraduate diploma; or (iii) postgraduate certificate?
5. What formal, internal training and development or other structured learning interventions are used to equip civil servants with domain knowledge to perform roles in international trade, exports, or trade policy?

Response

Request 1

Currently, the Directorate for International Trade and Investment within the Scottish Government have 87 civil servants in total (made up of 84 directly employed and 3 contingent workers). Of this 87, 49 with a role which is focused upon international trade and exports, or trade policy. Additionally, there is also a very small number of individual posts across the wider Scottish Government which have a focus on trade within their particular areas of responsibility.

Request 2-4

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have any of the information you have requested. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because Scottish Government has not been funding such qualifications.

Request 5

The Scottish Government makes use of learning and development resources available under the civil service-wide International Trade Profession which is developing trade capability across the UK government and devolved governments. This training is offered via the FCDO and has three levels - Foundation, Practitioner and Expert. In Scotland, the International Trade Profession training will help us to achieve our mission of driving “international trade and investment that supports Scotland’s values as a nation and delivers sustainable, inclusive economic growth for the benefit of all our citizens.” Within the Scottish Government, the International Trade learning and development offer is complemented by directorate led sessions and access to events through the Scottish Government's International School.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.