Commissioner for Fair Access: annual report 2025/26

Annex 1: Engagements since January 2024

2025

• December 19^th - Scottish Funding Council. Meeting to discuss future of RoWA data.
• December 11^th - Minister for Higher Education & Further Education. Regular meeting.
• December 10^th - Abertay University. Meeting with Luke Millward.
• December 10^th - SFC Student Interests, Access and Quality. Regular meeting.
• December 4^th - College Development Network. Attendance at CDN Awards Night.
• December 4^th - Colleges Scotland. Meeting with CEO.
• November 27^th - SFC National Schools Programme. Regular meeting of Strategic Advisory Group.
• November 25^th - Service Children’s Progression Alliance. Delegate at launch of Impact Centre.
• November 25^th - Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP). Meeting with officers to discuss APP Survey.
• November 24^th - Service Children’s Progression Alliance Impact Centre. Meeting with Director.
• November 19^th - Sutton Trust and Carnegie Corporation of New York. Delegate at Higher Education Summit.
• November 18^th - University of Edinburgh: School of Physics and Astronomy. Meeting with Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence.
• November 8^th - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: BA Arts with Community Degree. Participation in forest football fieldwork.
• November 4^th - SFC (Student Interests, Access and Quality) & Scottish Government (Student Equalities and Fair Access Team). Regular tripartite meeting.
• November 4^th - Scottish Government. National Mathematics Specialist Advisor. Meeting with Advisor.
• October 28^th - Faculty of Advocates. Meeting with Wellbeing and Inclusion Officer.
• October 27^th - Parent Power. Meeting of Brilliant Club Steering group.
• October 21^st - Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) . Recognition of Prior Learning Working Group. Regular meeting.
• October 16^th - One Parent Families Scotland. Meeting to discuss single parents acess to further and higher education.
• October 14^th - University of Lancaster. Meeting with widening access staff to discuss principles for evaluation of fair access work.
• October 13^th - Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP). Meeting with officers to discuss APP Survey.
• October 7^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• October 7^th - Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP). Meeting with Officers to discuss forthcoming events.
• September 16^th - Education and Skills Reform Ministerial Group. Regular meeting.
• September 10^th - SCAPP. Members webinar to discuss introduction of SCAPP Survey.
• August 27^th - Access Delivery Group. Regular meeting.
• August 26^th - SFC Student Interests, Access and Quality. Regular meeting.
• August 25^th - BBC. Meeting with Education Correspondent.
• August 20^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• August 19^th - The Robertson Trust. Delegate at Education Pathways event.
• August 18^th - SCAPP. Meeting with SCAPP Survey Development team.
• August 13^th - University of St Andrews. Meeting with Laurence Lasselle.
• August 11^th - SCQF. Meeting to discuss Review of Prior Learning work.
• August 6^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• August 5^th - SFC (Student Interests, Access and Quality) & Scottish Government (Equalities and Fair Access Team). Regular tripartite meeting.
• July 10^th - Scottish Government. Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• June 30^th - The Brilliant Club. Meeting with Director of Communities.
• June 17^th - Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences. Meeting with Directors.
• June 16^th - Glasgow Kelvin College. Campus visit.
• June 11^th - SFC (Student Interests, Access and Quality) & Scottish Government (Equalities and Fair Access Team). Regular tripartite meeting.
• May 12^th - SFC National Schools Programme. Regular meeting of Strategic Advisory Group.
• May 7^th - Poverty and Inequality Commission. Meeting with Chair to discuss Special Support Loan.
• May 6^th - SFC (Student Interests, Access and Quality) & Scottish Government (Equalities and Fair Access Team). Regular tripartite meeting.
• May 2^nd - SFC. Student Interests, Access and Quality . Regular meeting.
• April 29^th - Colleges Scotland Parliamentary Reception. Delegate at event.
• April 25^th - Midlothian Council. Meeting with Quality Improvement Manager, Educational Transformation.
• April 23^rd - Fife Council (Head of Education) and Glenwood High School (Head Teacher). Meeting to discuss fair access in Fife.
• April 22^nd - New College Lanarkshire. Campus visit.
• April 17^th - University of Stirling. Meeting with Associate Dean (Internationalisation), Faculty of Arts and Humanities to discuss fair access and languages.
• April 16^th - The Robertson Trust. Meeting with Project Development Manager (Scholarship).
• April 14^th - University of Strathclyde. Meeting with Head of Access, Equality and Inclusion.
• April 3^rd - Education and Skills Reform Ministerial Group. Regular meeting.
• March 28^th - New College Lanarkshire: Stakeholder meeting to discuss 2030 proposals.
• March 19^th - SFC (Student Interests, Access and Quality) & Scottish Government (Equalities and Fair Access Team). Regular tripartite meeting.
• March 11^th - The Robertson Trust. Participation in Fair Access Grant Applications review meeting.
• February 20^th - Schools for Higher Education Programme (SHEP) Managers Group. Invited to attend meeting for Q&A.
• February 19^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• February 17^th - Scottish Labour. Meeting with Leader and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education.
• February 12^th - Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP). Meeting with officers.
• February 4^th - Universities Scotland. Meeting with Officers.
• January 21^st - Ministerial Roundtable on Widening Access. Participation in event.
• January 20^th - The Robertson Trust. Meeting to discuss Fair Access Grant Award.
• January 20^th - SFC. Student Interests, Access and Quality . Regular meeting.
• January 14^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access team. Regular meeting.
• January 13^th - Sutton Trust. Meeting with CEO and Director of Research & Policy.
• January 9^th - TASO. Meeting with CEO.

2024

• December 18^th - Department of Education, Northern Ireland. Meeting with Director of Tertiary Education.
• December 11^th – SFC. Student Interests, Access and Quality . Regular meeting.
• December 11^th - Minister for Higher Education, Further Education and Veterans. Regular meeting.
• December 6^th - Colleges Scotland. Meeting with officers to discuss the tertiary perspective on widening access.
• December 3^rd - Colleges Alliance. Delegate at Annual International Conference.
• November 21^st - BAE Systems. Campus visit.
• November 13^th - Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP). Meeting with Officers.
• November 12^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• November 7^th - Education and Skills Reform Ministerial Group. Regular meeting.
• November 5^th - Access Delivery Group. Regular meeting.
• October 31^st - SFC (Student Interests, Access and Quality) & Scottish Government (Student Equalities and Fair Access Team). Regular tripartite meeting.
• October 31^st - Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP) Address meeting of Evaluation and Research Working Group.
• October 30^th - Scottish Labour. Meeting with Policy and Research Officer.
• October 30^th - Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Student Interests, Access and Quality team. Regular meeting.
• October 25^th - Open University in Scotland. Guest at graduation.
• October 24^th - Ayrshire College. Campus visit.
• October 23^rd - The Robertson Trust. Meeting to discuss scholarship development.
• October 14^th - 93% Club Edinburgh. Meeting with President and officers.
• October 14^th - Colleges Scotland. Meeting with Policy team to discuss roundtables.
• October 10^th - University of Strathclyde. Meeting with Head of Access, Equality and Inclusion.
• October 10^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access team. Regular meeting.
• October 10^th - Universities Scotland. Working Group on Admissions. Address meeting
• October 9^th - Education Scotland. Meeting with Executives and senior staff.
• October 9^th - University of Glasgow/University of Strathclyde. Meeting to discuss issues related to working class boys outcomes in west Scotland.
• October 4^th - Royal College of Midwives. Meeting with Director.
• October 3^rd - New College Lanarkshire. Attend launch of Foundation.
• October 3^rd - Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). Meeting with CEO and Senior Staff.
• September 26^th - SFC. National Schools Programme. Attend Steering Committee meeting.
• September 24^th - University of the West of Scotland. Campus visit.
• September 20^th - Jet Education Services (South Africa). Meeting to discuss fair access.
• September 16^th - Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland. Meeting with CEO.
• September 16^th - Colleges Alliance. Meeting with David Cragg (virtual meeting).
• August 30^th - Pathways in Place. Meeting with Academic Director.
• August 29^th - Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP). Meeting with officers.
• August 29^th - SFC. Assistant Director Evaluation. Meeting to discuss evaluation and fair access.
• August 27^th - Dumfries and Galloway College. Campus Visit. Meeting with Executive Team.
• August 26^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• August 20^th - Country Universities Centre (Australia). Campus visit.
• August 19^th - University of Canberra/Australian National University. Meeting to discuss fair access.
• August 19^th - Department of Education, Australia. Meeting to discuss Universities Accord.
• August 16^th - Department of Education, Australia. Meeting to discuss fair access.
• August 16^th - University of New South Wales. Meeting to discuss Universities Accord.
• August 5^th - SWAP West. Meeting with Director.
• August 5^th - Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Student Interests, Access and Quality team. Regular meeting.
• August 5^th - UCAS. Meeting with Director of Strategy and Senior Public Affairs Advisor.
• July 23^rd - University of the West of Scotland. Meeting with Executive to discuss UWS 2030 Strategy.
• July 17^th - CLD Standards Council. Meeting with Director and Chair.
• July 12^th - Abertay University. Invited guest at Graduation.
• June 19^th - Ministerial Roundtable on Widening Access. Invited to meeting.
• June 18^th - Universities Scotland. Meeting with Learning and Teaching and Widening Access team.
• June 17^th - SCAPP. National Widening Managers Group. Meeting to discuss fair access.
• June 10^th - New College Lanarkshire/University of the West of Scotland. Launch of Undergraduate School.
• June 5^th - Realising Opportunities Programme. Meeting with Chair.
• June 4^th - SFC. Student Interests, Access and Quality Team . Regular tripartite meeting.
• May 30^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• May 28^th - Education Scotland. Meeting with CEO.
• May 22^nd - SCAPP. National Widening Managers Group. Meeting to discuss fair access.
• May 21^st - Scottish Qualifications Agency. Meeting with CEO.
• May 15^th - Open University in Scotland. Meeting with Scotland Directorate.
• May 15^th - Scottish Government. Director for Lifelong Learning. Introductory meeting.
• May 14^th - The Robertson Trust. Meeting with Education Pathways team.
• May 10^th - SCAPP. Meeting with Officers to discuss with fair access.
• May 10^th - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Meeting with Head of Fair Access.
• May 2^nd - Education and Skills Reform Ministerial Group. Regular meeting.
• April 25^th - Glasgow Caledonian University. Meeting with Pro Vice-Chancellor Education to discuss fair access.
• April 23^rd - SCAPP New Practitioners Network. Meeting with Q&A.
• April 17^th - The Robertson Trust. Meeting to discuss Education Pathways and fair access.
• April 16^th - Universities Scotland. Meeting to discuss 2024 Report.
• March 26^th - Michael Marra MSP. Meeting to discuss fair access.
• March 25^th - Scottish Daily Mail. Meeting with Journalist
• March 21^st - Minister for Higher Education, Further Education and Veterans. Regular meeting.
• March 14^th - UCAS. Meeting with Fair Access Programme Lead.
• March 14^th - INTO Maryhill. Visit to centre.
• March 14^th - BBC Scotland. Further meeting with Senior Producer to discuss links between education and poverty.
• March 11^th - Australian Journal of Rural Education. Interview with Commissioner for Rural education (Australia)
• March 6^th - Scottish Government. Student Equalities and Fair Access Team. Regular meeting.
• February 28^th - Brunel University. Meeting with University Executive to discuss widening access.
• February 27^th - BBC Scotland. Meeting with Senior Producer to discuss links between education and poverty (in relation to colleges).
• February 27^th - University of St Andrews. Meeting with Laurence Lasselle.
• February 22^nd - SCAPP. National Widening Access and Participation Management Group. Meeting to discuss 2024 Report.
• February 22^nd - Scottish Labour. Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education. Meeting to discuss 2024 Report.
• February 20^th - Colleges Scotland. Meeting to discuss 2024 Report.
• February 20^th - Glasgow Caledonian University. Meeting with Executive Group to discuss 2024 Report.
• February 20^th - Access Delivery Group. Regular meeting.
• February 15^th - University of Glasgow. Meeting with Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning staff.
• February 14^th - MCR Pathways. Meeting with Founder.
• February 6^th - Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Meeting to discuss National Schools Programme.
• January 29^th - Times Education Supplement. Interview with journalist.
• January 9^th - Curtin University (Australia): National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. Meeting with Executive Director, Research Program Director, and Data Director.