Articulation – How are we doing and what next?

Articulation from college to university, with advanced standing, increased significantly in 2012/13 (from 3019 to 3469), after a number of years of smaller increases. The proportion of people entering university with HNs who get advanced standing has risen from 45% (2009/10) to 48% (2012/13) – 636 more people This is before the additional places specifically funded for articulation have appeared in the statistics. The good news is…we are making progress

If the aspiration in universities’ outcome agreement are met, at least 1,100 more students will articulate annually This increase is more than the number of additional places ……and progress should continue

In partnership with colleges and industry, the University of Strathclyde has launched an Engineering Academy, providing a pathway from HNC to BEng and MEng-level programmes across multiple Engineering degree programmes. Heriot-Watt University is significantly increasing its articulation numbers with 9% of its overall Scottish domiciled entrants in coming through this route. Heriot-Watt feels the success of this scheme has also had a positive impact in general on collaboration and recruitment from colleges. Glasgow School of Art has received funding from SFC to establish a new post focused on creating new articulation pathways. From 2014, Glasgow School of Art will have an additional 15 students articulating from college. Some examples of recent progress:

Are we succeeding regionally?

Most colleges and universities are involved but proportions vary. In , at Scottish HEIs 48% of entrants with HN qualifications were articulating students. The proportion varied by institution with two having no articulating students to four institutions having over 60%. We still don’t have a clear, system of guaranteed places But…

Investing £54m into articulation over a period of fours years ie over 1,000 places PA for four years Providing guidance and definitions of models Setting a national ambition for to reach 4,100 successful articulating students Agreeing ambitions in both university and college OAs to grow articulation and the recognition of advanced standing, such as: “The Glasgow colleges will work to increase the number of college students articulating to university with advanced standing by more than 200 over the three-year period, raising the number articulating from 1,043 to 1,252 by ” How can we achieve more – what is the SFC doing to support this?

Regional articulation hub ambitions for AY and AY Greater Glasgow Articulation Partnership – 670 entrants in 2013‐14; 850 in 2014‐15 Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Articulation Hub – 778 – 2012‐13; 807 – 2014‐15 Tayside and Fife Articulation Partnership – 150 in each year South West Articulation Hub – 1,000 in each year North East Articulation Hub – 315 – 2013‐14; 315‐2014‐15 How can we achieve more – what are the hubs doing to support this?

: Review in covered the hubs and early experience of the additional places Activity from the hubs has been positive and total articulation numbers have grown each year, with retention for articulating students being strong, including those from MD20 postcodes. Not all hubs operate a model of guaranteed progression into the universities, three years after the introduction of the core principles of articulation in External bodies such as SQA and NUS Scotland were positive about the work of the hubs, particularly on the quality of research that has been produced on articulation. How can we achieve more – key findings from our review of hubs

The National Articulation Database is regarded as a useful tool but there is wide acknowledgement that there needs to be more work done in refining and matching it institutional data. There was also a suggestion for it to be maintained by SFC. With the inclusion of articulation in outcome agreements, there was a suggestions that all reporting be aligned and mainstreamed. There was an acknowledgement that the additional places under the Associate Student Scheme offered potential models of articulation for the future, however it was felt the speed at which the scheme was introduced was too quick and didn’t allow for sufficient planning and organisation in the first year. How can we achieve more – key findings from our review of hubs

What does the SFC want to achieve for articulation?

Strategic, planned models based on guaranteed pathways A student-centred system: based on what’s best for students, not what suits institutions Maximise the benefits from college reform Build on Curriculum for Excellence and Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce - pathways that include schools Sharing of ideas and innovations Its not just a numbers game

Agree how we embed proper, planned articulation Understand the limits – what is the right level of articulation? And how do we get there? Agree a vision for how all of the different bits of the sector contribute Maximise the benefits from college reform Broaden the conversation to schools and address DSYW What next?