City of Glasgow College has collaborated with IPPR Scotland to publish a study into the societal impact of the college to better understand the impact of its education and training. The IPPR research is the first time societal impact in a tertiary education institution has been measured in this way.
The report was launched at an event attended by Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training, Scottish Government.
IPPR’s research highlights the vital role colleges play in communities and complements research undertaken by the Fraser of Allander Institute at Strathclyde University two years ago which concluded that eight City of Glasgow College graduate cohorts between 2011/12 and 2018/19, contributed £6 billion to the Scottish economy over the long term, equating to £56,000 per graduate.
The new IPPR research examines the wider social impact of the College. In recent years, we have seen from governments around the world a growing movement to deliver more well-rounded economies and societies, through inclusive growth, wellbeing, and sustainable development. The report aims to understand the full contribution of City of Glasgow College to these broader agendas and the potential for colleges to be at the forefront of creating a Scotland with inclusive growth and wellbeing at its core.
City of Glasgow College Principal Paul Little, stressing the vital role colleges play, said:
“We remain acutely aware of the communities for whom we play a crucial ‘civic anchor’ role, supporting economic transformation and social renewal in a city reinventing itself from rapid de-industrialisation, the blight of decades of ingrained, poverty and urban disadvantage, and the disproportionately harsh impact of COVID 19.”
“This ground-breaking research provides us with an excellent baseline across numerous social value measurements from which we are now collating data to track our progress”.
The research also highlighted the improvements being made at the college in terms of international outcomes. The report identified the college’s very strong track record in WorldSkills – a global showcase renowned as the Olympics of Skill. City of Glasgow College had two graduates representing the college and the UK at the recent WorldSkills competition where they were both awarded medals of excellence.
The College also engages across a range of international competitions where there is the opportunity to measure college outreach through international exchange programmes and review how exchange students evaluate the college, and their experience within Scotland’s education system.
A Baseline Social Value Assessment for City of Glasgow College – January 2023. Produced for City of Glasgow College by IPPR Scotland.