College UHI – 2020 to 2025

Lews Castle College (LCC) UHI Strategy 2020-2025

In April 2020, UHI Board of Management approved the College’s revised Strategic Aims and Objectives. In doing so, the Board recognised the current local, regional and national operating environment and considered future changes and priorities. Four key values underpin our decisions and actions. In addition, the College has identified behaviours that best reflect our values. Behaviours signal values, establish practices, reflect the culture of the organisation and are primary indicators of ethical standards. This strategic plan sets out the College’s ambitions, presenting key priorities within a framework of 4 strategic aims and accompanying objectives. Achievement of the strategic aims and objectives will be underpinned by a College 3-year Plan and annual operational plans and measured using a number of key performance indicators aligned to national performance measures and UHI Critical Performance Indicators. The main elements are set out as follows:

 Vision and Values  Strategic Aims and Objectives  Performance Measures

Introduction

Lews Castle College UHI is one of the smallest incorporated colleges in delivering education to learners across the archipelago of the . The college operates from four island locations; the main campus is at on Lewis and smaller learning centres are located at on , Liniclate on and on .

Currently the College offers courses from National Certificate level, through Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma level to first degree and postgraduate courses – delivered in schools, at the College and in the workplace. The College hosts research into Marine Energy, Sustainability and sustainable living, Archaeology, Gaelic, Pedagogy, Meteorology and Climatology. The College has proved itself as an effective location for energy and sustainability research and is able to take advantage of the unique location in which it is situated.

The Music courses, based in Benbecula, have attracted students from mainland Scotland and from overseas to study in the islands. The College is working with Ceolas in , and other strategic partners, to develop custom built facilities in Uist to build on the success of these courses. Part-time courses and evening classes are also available, with ICT and videoconferencing links enabling students to undertake degree courses by remote learning methods. Facilities leased from the Taigh Chearsabhagh Arts Centre in Lochmaddy are the location for the NC Course in Art and Design and the BA (Honours) Fine Art. Currently there are proposals for a new purpose-built Learning Centre in Castlebay, Barra as part of the Local Authority developments.

The Outer Hebrides location and geography present major social and economic challenges in terms of logistics and the cost of delivering further and higher education. The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation data does not identify any areas (data zones) of multiple deprivation in the Outer Hebrides within the 10% most deprived in Scotland. However, the SIMD data does not reveal the reality of living in such a remote and rural area, issues such as limited job market, low income rates, population sparsity and depopulation all have a large impact on the lives of people living in the Outer Hebrides.

Gaelic is at the heart of community life in the Outer Hebrides and Lews Castle College UHI has an important role to play in reflecting that identity. Lews Castle College UHI is committed to the objectives set out in the National Plan for Gaelic and has put in place the necessary structures and initiatives to ensure that Gaelic has a sustainable place at the centre of college life.

The College works in partnership with local schools and community organisations to offer a wide range of learning opportunities in subjects where most job opportunities exist, areas such as Care, Creative Industries, Hospitality and Renewables. A total of 246 students were recruited on to full time courses throughout the College in session 2019-20, with a further 1178 undertaking part-time courses (including evening classes and short-course training in such things as Health and Safety and Sea Survival). Pupils from Secondary Schools throughout the Outer Hebrides are also catered for in timetabled vocational programmes linked to their school studies.

As a key partner in the University of the Highlands and Islands the College provides leadership for the development and delivery of six UHI degrees – BScH Sustainable Development, BAH Applied Music, BAH

Gaelic Scotland, MA in Education, MSc in Sustainable Rural Development and the MA Health and Wellbeing.

Visioning the Future

Our Vision From the local to the global – Lews Castle College UHI will deliver excellent learning and teaching, research and enterprise

Our Mission Lews Castle College UHI will play a key role in the development of the region, providing excellence in education, training and skills for its people, employers and communities

Our Values and Behaviours To achieve our mission, we will:

Provide Leadership We will strengthen our existing partnerships and inspire those we collaborate with, by example, to achieve our shared vision To do this, we will act as positive role models, leading by example

Embrace Fairness We will give a high value to inclusiveness and will treat individuals with respect and assist them in the pursuit of their personal objectives To do this, we will demonstrate the highest level of respect for each other, proactively promoting equality and diversity

Pursue Excellence We will seek to help students and staff develop the essential skills to achieve their academic and personal best To do this, we will behave as one team, aiming for the success of both our students and ourselves

Be Accountable We will fulfill our obligations and responsibilities to all stakeholders in the pursuit of a sustainable strategy for educational excellence

To do this, we will act professionally and with integrity at all times

Strategic Aims 2020-25

To provide high quality, To deliver innovative, To be a key contributor to To be a socially relevant, accessible and excellent and sustainable economic and socially responsible and demand-led curriculum learning for all sustainable communities accountable organisation

Engage and work Work in partnership with Support the development Ensure sustainable positively with local, our students and ensure and growth of businesses financial performance, regional and national the student voice is central through high quality working with the region to partners to design and to our decision making services, skills training, ensure a fair and deliver a curriculum offer and design of services to research and knowledge sustainable funding which meets local, support learning exchange allocation and economies regional and national of scale need Provide excellent support Act as a key partner and to students from all contributor to achieve the Provide an attractive, safe, Provide courses which backgrounds, irrespective objectives of the Islands secure and welcoming create progression into of mode, location or Deal and UHI Islands’ study and work employment, further and method of study, to ensure Strategy for the benefit of environment for all higher education up to they achieve to the best of the islands’ communities students and staff postgraduate levels and their ability and economies research Invest in, develop and Provide learning which Develop effective maintain resource and Use appropriate facilitates critical enquiry relationships with the local infrastructure which technology to enable all and research skills, authority, schools, supports a high-quality students, irrespective of enterprise ability and an employers, skills and learning and work location, to access and entrepreneurial mind-set economic development environment and succeed across a range of agencies to deliver the experience learning opportunities Develop innovative and Developing the Young evidence-based Workforce for the regional Fulfil an active role in the Provide opportunities for approaches to learning and local labour market development of the work-based learning and teaching and assessment needs University, playing a key the development of which fully engage role in the delivery of its employability and students and supports Work with employers in strategies and plans and entrepreneurial skills them to learn at a place, developing our curriculum achievement of targets time and pace to meet to provide opportunities Develop programmes with their needs and ambitions for work placements, work Develop a whole college regional, national and for the future experience and work- approach to deliver a international reach which related learning sustainable estate and maximise the college’s Equip learners with the effective systems, which unique location, skills, attributes and Develop high quality are fit for purpose and environment and culture literacies required for the market intelligence, reduces our carbon workforce of the future research, academic output footprint Increase student and knowledge transfer to recruitment, retention, Ensure staff knowledge, support students, staff, attainment and skillsets and professional the community and progression rates to meet development activities business growth and exceed regional and support students to realise national benchmarks their full potential for Work in partnership with learning, life and work national, regional and local agencies and community partners to support Gaelic language

and culture across the Islands

Cross-cutting Themes/Enablers

People

 Ensure a culture which promotes equality, diversity and inclusion for all students and staff  Ensure a positive working and learning environment of well-being, dignity and respect in which all students and staff feel valued and supported  Support all staff in their pursuit of continuous professional development so they can contribute effectively to the achievement of college goals and the delivery of excellent learning and teaching, research and scholarly activity  Promote and support innovation, creativity, scholarly activity and research in all our students and staff  Ensure resilience and stability of staffing through effective workforce planning

Quality Enhancement

 Ensure a culture of quality enhancement across all activity of the college which enhances the student experience and increases student success  Ensure effective planning and systematic use of evidence to inform decision making across all college services  Embed a culture of critical reflective practice to underpin continuous quality improvement and effectiveness across all areas of the college

Estates and Infrastructure

 Provide a high-quality learning and working environment which enhances the student experience and meets the needs of staff  Invest in effective use of digital technologies and systems for successful learning, teaching and assessment and effective working practices  Provide a resilient ICT infrastructure which supports the needs of the curriculum and a distributed student body and workforce

Financial Sustainability

 Grow non-SFC income streams, including research funding; encouraging staff to develop new ideas, commercial revenue and research income generation  Work in partnership to maximise local and regional opportunities to support the financial sustainability of the college  Ensure structures, systems, processes and working practices provide best economy and effectiveness of operations

 Build and maintain a clear and attractive identity and brand which attracts people - at local, national and international level -to study and work at the college  Build and maintain reputation and recognition based on a learner and stakeholder experience and success, quality research, responsiveness to the needs of economy and community and the added-value element gained from the organisation as the local college and regional university

Measures and Performance Targets

Achievement of the strategic aims and objectives will be underpinned by operational plans monitored by Lews Castle College UHI Board of Management. The targets and measures used by the College will be established against national priorities, targets and measures in the Regional Outcome Agreement and benchmarked against both the regional and national key performance indicators (KPIs) published by the each year.

The following measures have been agreed by the College:

For Further Education (FE):  Total volume of FE credits delivered  Student retention  Overall student success  Partial success  Positive destinations  Articulation to HE  Student satisfaction  Work experience levels

For Higher Education (HE):

 Total number of full-time equivalent (fte) student places  Student satisfaction – Higher National programmes  National Student Satisfaction (NSS) results

Organisational Success:

 Staff satisfaction  Staff teaching qualifications  Level of funding for research  Carbon emissions  Operating surplus

Targets against these measures will be set annually, progress against which will be reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the year and reported through appropriate committees.

Targets will be reviewed annually, in line with national and regional targets.

Lews Castle College UHI – Strategic Plan Measures 2020-23

Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Target Outcome Target Outcome Comment 2019/20 2019/20 2020/21 2020/21

(COVID (Adjusted to impacted) reflect COVID restrictions) 1 Total number of FE credits 5348 4160 5455 This KPI has been and continues to be delivered impacted severely by COVID pandemic restrictions. 2020-1 increased credit allocation in line with changed SFC targets for the region. 2 Total number of HE FTEs delivered 250 316 316 3 Proportion of credits delivered to 1800 1847 1850 students between 16-19 years old 1 Overall learner success rate for all 69% 79% 74% Target for AY 20/21 reflects FE students on programmes 160 implication of Covid for the year and hours and over issue around regulated qualifications.

2 Percentage of FE early withdrawals 5% 2% 4% Target reflects likely impact of earlier impact of Covid on students this year. 3 Percentage of FE further 19.1% 4% 12% Target for 2020-21 reflects likely withdrawals impact of Covid.

4 Percentage of FE partial success 7.9% 5% 4%

1 Percentage of successful students 92% 92% AY19/20 data not yet available. achieving and sustaining positive Potential impact of Covid on positive destinations destinations into employment.

2 Number and proportion of students 40% 45% AY10/20 data not yet available. articulating/progressing to HE 3 Overall student satisfaction rate – 93% N/A 95% Owing to the COVID pandemic (SFC) lockdown, the SFC survey was not completed nationally during AY19/20.

4 National Student Satisfaction rate 85% 89% 90% (HE – final year of programme) 5 Number and proportion of FE full- 100% 78% 100% COVID-19 has substantially impacted time students with substantial upon the availability of substantial work experience as part of work experience. programme

1 Level of staff sickness (days lost) 9.5 6.96 8

2 Level of staff turnover 10% 9.8% 7%

3 Level of staff satisfaction 5 2 3 This is measured by the number of staff grievances, disciplinaries, staff complaints and occupational health referrals.

4 Percentage of permanent lecturing 80 85 staff with TQFE or equivalent

1 Level of operating surplus as % of Break- Break-even Break-even total turnover even

2 Level of funding for research

3 Tons of CO2 emissions per m2 of 0.075 0.067 0.070 internal floor space