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Edinburgh College is set to host four open days this month for those considering starting a course in August 2025.
At the open days, prospective students are invited to find out about the various courses they can apply for, meet curriculum teams, explore the College’s facilities, as well as experience first-hand what it’s like to study at Edinburgh College.
Midlothian Campus will be open from 4pm-7pm on Tuesday 18 February, Milton Road Campus will be open from 4pm-7pm on Wednesday 19 February, Sighthill Campus will be open from 4pm-7pm on Thursday 20 February, and Granton Campus will be open from 10am-1pm on Saturday 22 February.
Prospective students are invited to attend the open days to not only discuss course options, but also find out more about applications, funding options and the support available to them while studying at college.
The College offers a wide range of subjects within its faculties of Creative Industries, Construction and Engineering, Health, Wellbeing and Social Science, and Tourism, Hospitality and Business.
With beginner-level courses, pathways to university, short courses and continuous development courses, learners at any stage of their career or education journey will be able to find out about their possible next steps at these events.
Edinburgh College Principal, Audrey Cumberford, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming prospective students onto our campuses this February.
“Open Days are the perfect opportunity for those considering coming to college to not only find out about the wide-variety of courses that we offer, but also explore our campus facilities, and learn about the range of support available to them.
“I highly encourage anyone considering studying here to join us for the events.”
Attendees can drop in or book a place on subject-specific sessions.
For more information and to book a place at one of the open days, visit the Edinburgh College website.
Applications for courses starting in August 2025 are now open.
More than 450 students and almost 100 healthcare professionals have come together at Edinburgh Napier University’s biggest-ever nursing and midwifery careers day at its Sighthill campus.
Hosted in the University’s ENGAGE sports facility this week (4 Feb 2025), the event gave attendees the opportunity to meet with employers and learn more about available graduate roles in both nursing and midwifery.
Alongside the NHS, the range of healthcare professionals in attendance was wide and varied with organisations such as the Royal Navy Medical Branch, Royal Air Force, Marie Curie, CHAS, The Royal College of Nursing, William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre and private healthcare providers represented at the event.
Also in attendance were a range of Edinburgh Napier services including its Student Futures careers team – who helped organise the event – the University’s Alumni team, Bright Red Triangle, Edinburgh Napier’s hub for enterprise practice, a postgraduate recruitment team and a School of Health and Social Care research team.
Exhibitors were also able to undertake tours of the learning facilities at the University’s Sighthill campus, including its purpose-built Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre.
Students studying undergraduate and postgraduate Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Social Work programmes at Edinburgh Napier are taught within the centre, benefitting from realistic environments and NHS ward-like settings.
Professor Susan Dawkes, Dean of Edinburgh Napier’s School of Health and Social Care, said: “It was great to welcome so many employers on campus to meet our students and showcase the wealth of career options open to graduate nurses and midwives, from joining the NHS to opportunities to join the health and medical teams in the armed forces, or exploring some of the many other career options now open.
“Employers too were delighted to join tours of our Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre, which remains at the forefront of practical training for our student nurses and midwives.”
Adam Watling, Head of Edinburgh Napier’s Student Futures team, said: “Our nursing and midwifery careers day has been one of the biggest and best yet, and we are so pleased with the reach it has had and the experience of our students and visiting health care professionals across the day.
“The success is thanks to the effective collaboration between Student Futures and School of Health and Social and the planning and focus on securing a range of exhibitors for our many students to meet throughout the day.
“As a University, Edinburgh Napier is dedicated to ensuring that our students have the best possible careers support before and after graduation, and these types of events are a critical part of that commitment.
“We are looking forward to sharing success stories from across the day as we start to review the many insights that emerge from attendees, in the weeks and months to follow.”
Edinburgh Napier University is one of the largest providers of nursing and midwifery education in Scotland offering courses in a variety of nursing specialisms including adult nursing, child health nursing, learning disability nursing and mental health nursing.
The programmes are part of the University’s School of Health and Social Care which is home to a vibrant academic community of more than 3,000 students and 120 staff.
More information on the School itself can be found at:
A LEADING Scottish performing arts institution has launched one of the country’s first artist-led Contemporary Dance degree courses.
The Scottish Institute (The SI), is set to welcome its first cohort in September 2025, making it the only higher education provider in Scotland to offer a course that is led by professional dance artists specifically tailored to contemporary dance.
Spearheading this pioneering degree is Scotland’s preeminent contemporary dance artists, Errol White and Davina Givan, who will serve as artists-in-residence and course leaders.
With over 25 years of experience collaborating as performance artists, White & Givan have built an acclaimed body of work that engages audiences on a physical and emotional level.
The pair said: “Embedding White & Givan as artists in residence within the Institute is a rare opportunity within the educational world for practicing artists and students to evolve together.
“Passion in sharing knowledge lies at the heart of White & Givan, and we are extremely proud to play an integral role in developing a new generation of dance artists.”
White & Givan will host a series of Elite Intensive workshops across the UK to give aspiring dancers an opportunity to learn from and meet the professional dancers. The intimate sessions will give participants valuable insight into the unique contemporary dance training that awaits the programme’s first cohort in 2025.
The first workshop will take place on Sunday 10th November at The SI campus in Livingston, with seven additional dates to be announced across the country.
The duos appointment as artists-in-residence at The SI creates a unique bridge between professional practice and education, offering a unique opportunity to share their expertise and passion for dance with the next generation of dancers.
Students will benefit from The SI’s state-of-the-art technologies and professional-grade studios, as well as access to the renowned Howden Park Theatre.
“The inclusion of sport science and the role it plays in the training of young dance artists at the Scottish Institute is vital, preparing them for a long and fulfilling future career as successful dance practitioners.” White and Givan added.
The degree will couple sport science and dance training and is poised to produce well-rounded, successful dance practitioners prepared for long and fulfilling careers.
Mark Langley, Principal of The SI, said: “Having White & Givan as artists in residence creates an extraordinary environment where practicing artists and students evolve together.
“Our students won’t just learn about the profession – they’ll be immersed in it, working alongside industry specialists, performing in professional venues, and developing their craft through a carefully structured progression from core techniques to professional practice.
“The Scottish Institute was created by professionals to educate the next generation of professionals, and this new BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance program exemplifies that mission.”
The Scottish Institute is Scotland’s only fully CDMT accredited performing arts institution, also holding accreditations from Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), Council of Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) and Imperial Society for the Teachers of Dance (ISTD).
To book a slot at the Elite Intensive day or have additional questions on the course, contact: admissions@thesi.co.uk
Scotland’s colleges need more clarity from ministers on what parts of their role to prioritise, as the sector’s financial challenges mount, according to Audit Scotland.
The public spending watchdog released their latest ‘Scotland’s Colleges’ report this morning.
Scottish Government funding for colleges reduced by £32.7 million in cash terms in 2024/25. Funding has reduced by 17 per cent in real terms since 2021/22. Cash balances held by colleges are also forecast to fall.
Colleges have used voluntary severance schemes to reduce their costs, with nearly 500 staff leaving colleges in 2022/23. Staffing makes up around 70 per cent of colleges’ costs and the sector expects further cuts in coming years.
The financial challenges and staffing reduction means colleges may not be able to offer the same learning experience to students as in the past. Meanwhile, the lack of reform of the post-school sector is causing continuing uncertainty for colleges.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The college sector is facing huge challenges. But to plan effectively for the future, colleges need a much stronger steer from the Scottish Government on what parts of their role to prioritise.
“The Scottish Government also needs to respond quickly to the results of its consultations on post-school reforms to provide the college sector with more certainty.”
Colleges across Scotland are opening their doors from 21 to 28 March to mark the second national Big College Open Week – aka #BigCOW.
A host of exciting activities are taking place in colleges across Scotland during the week. Organised by the College Development Network (CDN) Marketing and Communications Network, the purpose of the week is to demonstrate all that colleges offer – including the wide range of learning pathways and options open to students.
Choosing to study at college is the best way to start, change or develop a new career right on your doorstep. By coming together, Scotland’s colleges will show how they are the right choice for anyone – young and not so young – who wants to start or change their careers, and for businesses looking to develop their workforce.
During the week colleges will be offering taster sessions, tours, the chance to meet course tutors and members of Students’ Associations, who will be on hand to talk about clubs, societies and support. There are taster days and open evenings, and you can ‘learn to student like a pro’ with short talks on careers, the library and admissions.
At Edinburgh College, a number of curriculum areas are showcasing their courses and facilities during open events which also allow perspective students to meet lecturers and ask any questions they may have.
The following events are taking place:
Performing Arts Studio Scotland (PASS): Monday 25 March, 2-3.30pm at Granton Campus. Information on course areas including: Acting, Costume, Dance, Make up Artistry, Musical Theatre, Technical Theatre.
Enterprise and Commerce: Wednesday 27 March, 6-7pm. This is an online event – a joining link will be emailed to attendees 24 hours before the event starts.
Childhood Practice: Wednesday 27 March, 6-7pm at Sighthill Campus. Online joining is available on request in the form below.
Social Services: Wednesday 27 March, 6-7pm at Sighthill Campus.
Photography: Thursday 28 March, 1-3pm at Sighthill Campus.
Audrey Cumberford, Edinburgh College Principal, said: “We are delighted to be taking part in this year’s Big College Open Week, which is an important campaign for Scotland’s colleges to showcase our first-class courses and facilities.
“We look forward to welcoming prospective students on to our campuses to find out more about study options we have available here at Scotland’s Capital College.”
Marie Hendry, Chief Executive, CDN, said: “We are really excited for this year’s Big College Open Week. It’s all part of the Choose College campaign and aims to highlight the incredible opportunities colleges offer.
“The week will showcase the support and expertise that has helped countless pupils, school leavers, career changers, career developers, employers, graduates and apprentices to take the next steps in their journey.
“We want to get the message out to parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers, mature students and school pupils that college is so much more than a course – it offers pathways, experiences and qualifications that lead to real careers and future success.”
Highest proportion ever in work, training or study
The number of young people in work, training or further study three months after the end of the school year has reached a record high of 95.9%.
The Attainment and Initial Leaver Destination statistics 2022-23 also show that the gap between those from the most and least deprived areas progressing after leaving school has continued to narrow and is now at a record low (3.7 percentage points).
The proportion of school leavers with one or more technical or vocational qualifications at SCQF Level 5 or better has reached a record high of 30.4%.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “These figures show the highest proportion of Scotland’s young people are achieving positive destinations since records began and it is very encouraging to see so many people are securing work, training or further study.
“We are committed to closing the poverty-related attainment gap and ensuring all of our young people have the same opportunities to progress in life, so I’m encouraged to see that the gap in relation to positive destinations has narrowed to a record low.
“Young people experienced significant disruption to their education during the pandemic, and to see so many of them reaching positive destinations is really heartening – and is testament to their hard work and the extraordinary support provided by Scotland’s teachers.
Students and taxpayers will be better protected against rip-off degree courses that have high drop-out rates, don’t lead to good jobs and leave young people with poor pay and high debts, the Prime Minister and Education Secretary have announced.
Under the plans, the Office for Students (OfS) will be asked to limit the number of students universities can recruit onto courses that are failing to deliver good outcomes for students.
The UK has some of the world’s leading universities, but a minority of the courses on offer leave students saddled with debt, low earnings and faced with poor job prospects. The government wants to make the system fairer for them, but also for taxpayers – who make a huge investment in higher education and are liable for billions of pounds in unrecovered tuition fees if graduate earnings are low.
Figures from the Office for Students show that nearly three in ten graduates do not progress into highly skilled jobs or further study 15 months after graduating. The Institute for Fiscal Studies also estimates that one in five graduates would be better off financially if they hadn’t gone to university.
The government wants to make sure that universities and colleges are offering the same standard of high-quality provision expected in our schools, and that young people are encouraged to choose the path that is right for them – whether it’s a university degree, a higher technical qualification, or an apprenticeship.
As part of today’s announcements, the government will also reduce the maximum fee that universities can charge for classroom-based foundation year courses to £5,760 – down from £9,250 currently.
These are an additional year of study designed to help prepare students for degrees with specific entry requirements or knowledge, such as in medicine and veterinary sciences. However, research shows that too many people are encouraged to take a foundation year in some subjects like business where it is not necessary.
The Office for Students will also continue work to make it easier for students to assess the quality of each university course, including its earnings potential, so that they can make the most informed decision about where and what to study. We are asking the Office for Students to ensure that courses which fail to deliver good earnings are subject to stricter controls.
Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said: The UK is home to some of the best universities in the world and studying for a degree can be immensely rewarding.But too many young people are being sold a false dream and end up doing a poor-quality course at the taxpayers’ expense that doesn’t offer the prospect of a decent job at the end of it.
“That is why we are taking action to crack down on rip-off university courses, while boosting skills training and apprenticeships provision. This will help more young people to choose the path that is right to help them reach their potential and grow our economy.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Students and taxpayers rightly expect value for money and a good return on the significant financial investment they make in higher education.
“These new measures will crack down on higher education providers that continue to offer poor quality courses and send a clear signal that we will not allow students to be sold a false promise. Wherever they choose to study, it is vital students can gain the skills needed to get great jobs and succeed – supporting the Prime Minister’s priority to grow our economy.”
Philip Augar, chair of the independent Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, said: “This is another strong signal for universities to control such recruitment as is not in students’ best interests and I hope the sector responds constructively.
Edward Peck, Vice-Chancellor and President Nottingham Trent University and panel member of the independent Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, said: “Following careful consideration and extensive consultation, the reform agenda for higher education being pursued by Government is consistent with the approach articulated in the Augar Review.
“The alignment of the fee for Foundation Years with that of Access to HE for lower cost subjects is in the interests of students as is the proposition that the future refinement of the quality framework deployed by the Office for Students, including potential selective student number controls, should make subject appropriate use of graduate salaries.”
Baroness Alison Wolf, panel member of the independent Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, said: “I am delighted that the government has introduced reforms for foundation year courses, whose current meteoric growth is hard to justify educationally or in cost terms.
“Aligning their fees explicitly with college-based access courses should also promote the greater alignment of further and higher education to which the government is, rightly, committed.”
The government has already taken decisive steps to make sure young people and adults can access more high-quality training opportunities.
This includes rolling out new T Levels, Higher Technical Qualifications, establishing a network of 21 Institutes of Technologyand working with employers of all sizes to create more apprenticeships in a wider range of exciting roles. Plans to expand UCAS to allow students to apply for apprenticeships alongside traditional degree have also been announced so thousands more young people can benefit from a wider choice of high-quality options.
Alongside the measures announced today to boost the quality of higher education, the government is going further still to support people and employers to take advantage of the wide range of free training options available to them, helping to fill skills gaps, get people into work and support the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the economy.
This includes launching a new digital platform from the autumn where people and employers can search for everything from apprenticeships and T Levels to Skills Bootcamps and essential skills courses – all in one place.
The government is also making it easier for employers to take on apprentices. This includes by cutting the steps needed to register to take on an apprentice by a third and updating 100 apprenticeships in sectors such as construction and healthcare so they reflect the latest technological advancements and so they work better for employers and apprentices.
Anthony Impey, Chief Executive of Be The Business, said: “Small businesses are run by some of the country’s most impressive and resilient people, but they are time poor and lack the resources of their peers in much larger companies.
“So these changes will make a real difference in opening up apprenticeships at a time when small businesses are looking for all the help they can get to boost their productivity.”
FD Works, Top 50 SME apprentice employer and accountancy firm based in Bristol said: “At FD Works, we believe that the power of apprentices is unmatched. The passion and perspective they bring have been a huge part of our ongoing success, but as a small business, our time is incredibly valuable.
“The investment far outweighs the cost already, but the Department for Education is continuously improving the system with us in mind, which is clear in this latest update.
“As an innovative company, we’re really excited to see changes happening that will help us move quicker, share more opportunities, and empower even more apprentices to find a career they love.”
Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy, British Chambers of Commerce said: “Apprenticeships are key to boosting technical skills in the workforce and helping firms tackle skills shortages.
“However, many firms with great apprenticeship opportunities have found the process difficult. So it’s good to see Government taking steps in the right direction to reduce the complexity and excess bureaucracy in the apprenticeship system.
“We also need more candidates to choose the apprenticeship route to employment and so we welcome initiatives that raise awareness and help match people to the great jobs and training available in local business communities throughout the country.”
