Scottish Education Exchange Programme (SEEP) Test and Learn Project Evaluation

Introduction and context

This report presents the findings from the evaluation of the Scottish Education Exchange Programme (SEEP) Test and Learn Project.

Aims of the evaluation

In March 2025, the Scottish Government commissioned Blake Stevenson Ltd to undertake an evaluation of the SEEP Test and Learn Project. This independent evaluation was commissioned to capture learning from the Test and Learn Project phase and to inform the design and delivery of future SEEP activity.

The evaluation had five core aims:

• to review the delivery and administration of SEEP cycles 1 and 2, and assess stakeholder experiences;
• to examine reach, including whether SEEP engaged the institutions and sectors it intended to, and what barriers or solutions emerged;
• to assess the added value of the funded projects, what they enabled that was not previously possible;
• to identify challenges and opportunities for improving programme delivery and increasing stakeholder engagement; and
• to capture learning to inform the development of future SEEP cycles or a long-term national programme.

This evaluation does not aim to assess the long-term impact of individual projects due to their small scale and short duration. Instead, it focuses on gathering learning about processes, experience, and added value to inform strategic decision-making going forward.

Structure of the report

The remainder of this report is structured as follows:

• Chapter 2 Context and methodology: describes the policy context, and the approach used to evaluate the SEEP Test and Learn Project, including data sources, stakeholder engagement, and analysis methods;
• Chapter 3 Findings: draws on evidence from project documentation, surveys, and interviews, to present the key findings under thematic headings aligned with the evaluation objectives;
• Chapter 4 Learning and insights: synthesises lessons from the programme, reflecting on what worked well, what could be improved, and how institutions responded to opportunities and constraints; and
• Chapter 5 Recommendations and conclusions: report concludes with practical, evidence-informed recommendations to support the future development of any subsequent mobility schemes.