Colleges: Tripartite Alignment Group minutes: June 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Graeme Dey, Minister for Higher Education, Further Education and Minister for Veterans    
• Stuart Greig (Chair), Scottish Government 
• Sara Grainger, Scottish Government
• Fraser Syme (Secretariat), Scottish Government
• Claire Jamieson, Scottish Government 
• Rebecca Manson, Scottish Government
• Tiff Ritchie, Scottish Funding Council
• Richard Maconachie, Scottish Funding Council
• Gavin Donoghue, Colleges Scotland 
• Andy Witty, Colleges Scotland 
• Angela Cox (Ayrshire College), Colleges Scotland 
• Joanna Campbell (Glasgow Kelvin College), Colleges Scotland 
• Alan Williamson (Edinburgh College), Colleges Scotland 
• Simon Hewitt (Dundee & Angus College), Colleges Scotland 
• Catherine Topley, Student Awards Agency Scotland 
• Rebecca Slater, Student Awards Agency Scotland 

Items and actions

Main Points

There was a strong consensus that significant progress has been made since the formation of the Group.
There was agreement that in order to maintain the necessary buy-in from across the sector, there is a need for clear communication on the successes and value of the Group.
With good foundations now laid, the Group can move into a different phase of working, with greater collaboration on actions between meetings. 
There was agreement that a more cohesive and strategic approach to the Group’s actions are needed. 

Welcome / Changes to membership

The Chair ran through the changes to membership and welcomed new members to the Group.
The Minister expressed the need to see greater pace of progress, while recognising the achievements of the Group.

Note of last meeting

Attendees confirmed they are content with the note of the last meeting so it can be published.  

 

Progress

 

In discussion of the progress table the following was agreed:
Actions under Work priority 1: Diversifying funding streams need to more clearly link the SFC’s work on the funding model and evolution of the College Transformation Framework.
Work priority 2: College Transformation Framework is complete to a large extent, though this Group needs to retain oversight of delivery and progress, and stand ready to address any snags. SFC reports on the case studies remain an important output that the Group wish to see and discuss. 
Work Priority 3: Alternative capital funding models has largely been absorbed into the College Infrastructure Investment Plan work being delivered by SFC.
Work Priority 4: Breadth and range of delivery needs to be revisited following agreement of a clear problem statement.    

• There was agreement that it is for the sector itself to articulate its vision and purpose, rather than looking to the Minister/SG for this; and that the great, innovative work being done in the sector is not highlighted enough and needs to be part of the comms plan.
• There was agreement that in looking for solutions to problems, there needs to be recognition of the variety across the college sector – for example, some colleges have greater opportunities as a result of their proximity to major industry.
• There was discussion around concerns about potential duplication of funding, such as colleges using  credits for senior phase school activity, and duplication of years 1 and 2 at university, for example; and the need for a better evidence base.
• The SFC advised that there is a medium-term piece of work looking at the fairness and flexibility of the funding model, but this will require capacity which may result in other work needing to be deprioritised. 
• SFC gave an update on uptake from the sector as bidding into the College Transformation Framework closed on 16 June. A number of colleges have applied, and a number have advised that it is too soon for them to take this up for AY 25-26, but will look to do so for AY 26-27.
• It was agreed that learning from CTF will enable greater acceleration of progress and there is a need to communicate that the CTF is ultimately about a short-term reduction for a long-term benefit.

 

Actions

 

• SG to circulate a brief draft write-up of the progress the group has made to date, for iteration and improvement by others.  
• All parties to co-write a clear problem statement that the group is aiming to solve. SG will provide a starter-for-10 for iteration with the group.   
• Drawing on the outputs of the preceding actions, CS to develop and deliver a communications strategy, drawing on input from SG and SFC as needed, to convey the  successes and purpose of this Group, and help to win “hearts and minds” around the importance of the work we are collaborating on across the sector.
• SG to transform the progress table into two distinct products for ongoing use: a meetings action log, and an Alignment Diagram that shows what the Work Priorities cover and how they support the alignment of activity across the 3 parties.     

 

Diversifying funding streams

CS presented a paper on diversifying funding streams and advised of the need to build on the excellent work of the CTF.
The Minister asked that he/SG is made aware of impediments which emerge in relation to pursuing commercial funds in order to try and help remove them where possible. 
There was agreement that CS’ paper sets out 5 achievable strands of work and that there is a need now to turn those into clear actions with leads; with an opportunity to change the dynamic of how all parties work collaboratively going forward.
SFC raised potential issues around accountability and value for money in relation to a strategic block grant; and advised that the CTF could be used in relation to strategic funding pilots.
There was discussion around the issue of major employers setting up their own skills academies and bypassing colleges for a number of reasons, such as industrial action, for example.

 

Actions

 

• SG, SFC and CS to meet at the earliest opportunity to create a structured workplan for diversifying funding stream with identified leads which ties into the other work being done by the SFC on the funding model and CTF. This will include:

1. How the CTF model can be expanded as a mechanism to support investment in this area.
2. SFC exploring how other bodies are able to carry surpluses to understand what lessons can be learned – noted that this is a medium-term piece of work.