Scotland’s post-school education and skills system is entering a major period of reform. The Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Act 2026 changes how funding is provided, while colleges, universities, training providers and employers face urgent questions about sustainability, workforce supply and economic need.
This conference will examine what reform means in practice for colleges, universities, skills bodies, employers, councils, enterprise agencies, employability providers and learners. It will consider how Scotland can connect funding, governance, apprenticeships, employability, fair access, regional delivery and public-sector workforce planning.
Key questions include how institutions can stabilise their finances, how skills pathways can better reflect employer demand, how apprenticeships can be expanded, how employability support can reduce barriers to work, and how learners from under-represented groups can be better supported to enter and stay in education.
Colleges and universities face serious financial sustainability pressures, while employers continue to raise concerns about skills gaps, workforce pipelines and productivity. The University of Edinburgh warned in 2025 of a £140 million financial gap and potential staff cuts, while the University of Dundee received a £22 million rescue package after warning of insolvency risk. The SNP’s 2026 manifesto also committed to 150,000 apprenticeships over the period of the new Parliament, an Apprenticeship Accelerator Grant, a bespoke scheme for disabled young people and a comprehensive review of employability support.
Bringing together education leaders, funders, employers, skills bodies, unions, student voices, economists and policy specialists, this conference will help delegates understand what Scotland’s tertiary education and skills system needs next - and how reform can support learners, institutions, employers and the wider economy.
This online conference will focus on three themes:
Key topics for discussion
Who should attend?
This conference is relevant to:
09:05 Chair's opening remarks
Session 1: Reform, funding and institutional sustainability
09:10 Keynote speaker: Tertiary education reform - what the 2026 Act means for Scotland
09:30 Question and answer session
09:40 College finances, estates and regional delivery
10:00 University sustainability, research and Scotland’s economic future
10:20 Question and answer session
10:35 Comfort break
Session 2: Skills, apprenticeships and employers
10:50 Apprenticeships and the 150,000 commitment
11:10 Employability support - what should the promised review change?
11:30 Question and answer session
11:45 Comfort break
Session 3: Access, inclusion and accountability
12:00 Fair access, learners and the cost of participation
12:20 Governance, outcomes and accountability in the tertiary system
12:40 Question and answer session
12:55 Chair's closing remarks
This conference takes place online.
How to book
You can book to attend in 3 ways:
Conference fees
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Terms and conditions
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