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1.1 The terms of
reference of the National Committee of Inquiry required
it to take into account the distinctive features of
higher education in different parts of the United Kingdom
(UK). To meet this requirement, and given the particular
distinctiveness of Scottish higher education, it was
considered appropriate that a Standing Committee of the
National Committee be established to examine these
features in detail and to advise the National Committee
accordingly. Like the National Committee, the Scottish
Committee had a diverse membership, covering all of the
stakeholders of higher education, including
representatives from further and higher education
institutions, staff, students, employers and schools. The
terms of reference and membership of the National
Committee and Scottish Committee are in Annexes A and B
respectively.
1.2 To fulfil the mandate
in our terms of reference to advise the National
Committee on issues pertaining to higher education in
Scotland, we maintained close contact with the National
Committee throughout our work. Similarly, written and
verbal reports of the work and progress of the National
Committee (including minutes of National Committee
meetings) were received at meetings of the Scottish
Committee. Dual membership of both committees of three
members has been especially helpful in maintaining
contact and in ensuring that the committees were kept
informed of one another's progress. This contact was
especially valuable in the latter stages of our work as
the committees began to formulate conclusions.
1.3 We were also kept
informed of the progress of the working groups of the
National Committee and received and considered their
interim and final reports to the National Committee. At
the same time, we advised the working groups on relevant
issues, as appropriate, throughout the duration of the
Inquiry.
1.4 In order to meet our
terms of reference effectively and in a timely manner, we
considered and agreed to adopt the working methods
adopted by the National Committee. These arrangements
called for: regular meetings of the committee; the
receipt of presentations; the consideration of
submissions and evidence; the commissioning of
appropriate research; and institutional and other
organisational visits within and outwith Scotland.
Regular meetings of the
Committee
1.5 We met on 13 occasions, between July 1996
and June 1997. Up to March 1997 we met once per month
(excluding August 1996), thereafter we met approximately
fortnightly, primarily to discuss the detail of our final
report.
The receipt of presentations
1.6 To inform discussion, we invited various
Scottish and UK-wide organisations with expertise in
post-secondary education and qualifications to give
informative papers and presentations on matters of
interest to us. During these sessions, we had the
opportunity to discuss the current status of projects and
policies as well as identifying issues for future
consideration. Details of the organisations that we met,
and those who attended our meetings, is in Annex C.
The consideration of
submissions and evidence
1.7 Each submission received by the National
Committee, from Scottish organisations and individuals,
has been read by at least two members of the Scottish
Committee. These submissions covered a broad range of
interests including those of higher and further education
institutions, professional and statutory bodies,
employers, students, learned societies, representative
bodies and trade unions. We also considered relevant
submissions made to the National Committee from UK-wide
organisations.
1.8 In order to explore some of these submissions
in further depth, we convened an oral evidence session in
Edinburgh on 27 February 1997 inviting eight Scottish
organisations which had responded to the National
Committee's call for written evidence. During this
session, we had the opportunity to discuss issues and
views arising from submissions with representatives of
the organisations themselves. A list of organisations and
their representatives which gave oral evidence to us, is
included in Annex D. Scottish
Committee members also participated in the UK-wide oral
evidence sessions convened on behalf of the National
Committee.
1.9 Beyond these formal
discussion forums, we also participated in a number of
individual meetings, seminars and conferences with higher
education stakeholders within and outwith Scotland. These
offered the opportunity for us to listen to and engage
stakeholders, including employers, in focused discussion
on particular topics or concerns. The Chairman of the
National Committee had an introductory meeting with
representatives of interested Scottish groups at the
University of Glasgow on 21 October 1996. A seminar was
held on 9 December 1996 in Stirling at which Scottish
small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) were invited to
discuss higher education from their unique perspective.
This was one of a series of six such seminars held across
the UK. On 18 February 1997 a consultation conference was
held in Edinburgh, at Napier University, again as part of
a UK programme, which invited comments and discussion
from interested Scottish organisations and institutions
on a wide range of higher education issues. Members also
met with the Universities Association for Continuing
Education (Scotland) on 3 December 1996, and the Forum
for Scottish Education on 26 February 1997, to hear their
views on higher education.
The commissioning of
appropriate research
1.10 From the outset, a wide range of
available evidence and data on Scottish higher education
provision was forthcoming from various organisations and
individuals to inform our discussions. To supplement this
information, we sought a considerable amount of
additional data, information and analysis from a number
of sources, including The Scottish Office Education and
Industry Department (SOEID) the Scottish Higher Education
Funding Council (SHEFC) and the Committee of Scottish
Higher Education Principals (COSHEP). We commissioned
work to develop a Scottish higher education statistical
information base, some of which we have drawn upon in our
report. We have also undertaken surveys ourselves of the
use and administration of the Access Funds in Scotland;
of perceptions of research in biotechnology and life
sciences in Scotland; and of policies on the advanced
placement of students with A levels in Scottish higher
education institutions.
Institutional visits
1.11 Scottish Committee members were invited
to meet with managers, staff and students at a number of
higher education institutions in Scotland and in the rest
of the UK. A complete list of institutions visited is in Annex E. These visits were often
organised around particular themes, eg semesterisation,
credit accumulation, communications and information
technology innovation and modularisation. During these
visits, we had the opportunity to meet with management,
academic and administrative staff, visit academic
departments and meet with student representatives.
Reports from these visits and others were shared with
colleagues serving on the National Committee.
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