1

Outcome Agreement

SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College)

Academic Year 2017/18

FINAL March 2017

2

Outcome Agreement – Academic Year 2017/18 This Outcome Agreement between Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) sets out the priorities for the development of SRUC and its SFC-funded education provision for the academic year 2017/18. For the SFC Signed:

Dr John Kemp Interim Chief Executive

Date: For SRUC Signed:

Wayne Powell Chief Executive

Date: Outcome Agreement College region: Land-based

College regional grouping: SRUC

Funding

SRUC will receive funding from the SFC for academic year 2017/18 to plan and deliver further and higher education for the land-based sector in Scotland as detailed within this Outcome Agreement.

This funding is provided on the condition that the regional body (SRUC) signs and commits to deliver the outcomes detailed below.

3

CONTENTS 1. Introduction and Overview ...................................................................................... 4

1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 5 1.2.1 Vision ................................................................................................................................... 5 1.2.2 Mission ................................................................................................................................ 5 1.2.3 Equality and Diversity .......................................................................................................... 5 1.2.4 Principal Operations ............................................................................................................ 7 1.2.5 Knowledge Transfer and Exchange at SRUC ..................................................................... 7 1.3 SRUC Students’ Association (SRUCSA) ............................................................................ 8

2. Widening Access .................................................................................................... 10

3. High Quality, Efficient and Effective Learning ..................................................... 14 3.1 Quality and Enhancement ................................................................................................. 15 3.2 Retention and Attainment .................................................................................................. 15 3.3 National Land-Based Strategy .......................................................................................... 16 3.4 Portfolio Offer and Activity levels for AY 2016/17 ............................................................. 16

Table A: Provision Pathways for AY 2017/18 .......................................................................... 17 Table B: FE Credits and HE FTE targets for AY 2017/18 ........................................................ 18 Table C: HE Pattern of Provision (2016/17 actual at 1 December 2016) ................................ 18

3.5 Developing Young Workforce ........................................................................................... 19 3.6 Mapping STEM Provision .................................................................................................. 19 3.7 Work Placement Standards .............................................................................................. 19 3.8 Employer Engagement ...................................................................................................... 20 3.9 Work Experience ............................................................................................................... 20 3.10 Apprenticeships ................................................................................................................. 20 3.11 National Student Survey ................................................................................................... 21 3.12 Internationalising the Student Experience ........................................................................ 22 3.13 ESOL Activity .................................................................................................................... 22 3.14 National Gaelic Language Plan ......................................................................................... 23 3.15 SCQF Credit Rating .......................................................................................................... 23

4. World-leading Research......................................................................................... 24 4.1 The Context for our Research ........................................................................................... 24 4.2 SRUC Research Strategy ................................................................................................. 24 4.3 Outcomes .......................................................................................................................... 25

5. Enterprise and Innovation ..................................................................................... 28 5.1 Strategic context................................................................................................................ 28 5.2 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 30 5.3 Key Changes in KTE Delivery and Management .............................................................. 30 5.4 BIS/Innovate UK Agri-Tech Strategy ................................................................................ 31 5.5 SRUC Co-ordination of Research, Knowledge Exchange and Innovation ....................... 31 5.6 Engagement with SMEs and Innovation Vouchers ........................................................... 31 5.7 The Higher Education and Business Community Interaction Survey ............................... 31

6. High-performing Institutions ................................................................................. 32

APPENDIX 1: Targets for SAC Consulting Services .................................................. 35

4

1. Introduction and Overview

Outcome Agreement Construction The Outcome Agreement for SRUC for Academic Year (AY) 2017/18 addresses the Aims, Outcomes and Measures within the SFC’s University Outcome Agreement Guidance (AY 2017/18) and the SFC’s Guidance on Delivering College Outcome Agreements AY 2017/18). The outcomes have been combined across HE and FE.

1.1 Introduction SRUC delivers comprehensive skills, education and business support for Scotland’s land-based industries, founded on world class and sector-leading research, education and consultancy. The integration of these three complementary ‘knowledge exchange’ services is of significant value to all with an interest in land-based activities – be they learners, businesses, communities or policy-makers.

SRUC is unique in the UK and one of the largest organisations of its kind in Europe with a diversity of key agricultural and land-based physical assets together with the extensive and up to date skills of our staff. We will utilise this critical mass of strengths and skills as we serve our increasingly wide range of clients.

As a tertiary institution, SRUC is unique in its level of provision from SCQF levels 1 to 12, working closely both with academic and industry partners across the land-based sector. Widening access opportunities and the learner journey are key, and learners are able to progress flexibly and appropriately, with recognition given to prior attainment and focusing on the interests of the learner. On that basis SRUC seeks to meet the needs of the land-based sector for an appropriately skilled workforce by recognising the importance of the learner journey and focusing on positive purposeful destinations.

A cornerstone of SRUC is our internationally-respected research, which seeks to address the major challenges of growing global demand for food and nutrition security, climate change and dwindling natural resources. Drawing on this foundation of cutting-edge research, SRUC will focus on education and knowledge exchange relevant to the industries it serves. Reflecting our ethos of knowledge exchange, we will involve our students and our many stakeholders, customers and clients in the rural sector as we continue to grow and develop. The translation of our innovative research outputs, through close working with SAC Consulting, a division of SRUC, helps rural industries through the delivery of up to the minute advice and consultancy to approximately 18,000 clients, in Scotland, across the rest of the UK and beyond.

Following the appointment of Professor Wayne Powell as SRUC’s Principal and Chief Executive in July 2016, SRUC’s organisation strategy is under review. SRUC has been in close discussion with the SFC during this period.

The seven principles underpinning the development of SRUC’s new strategy are:

1. Reassert SRUC’s status as the National Institution for research, teaching and advice which connects the science base and industry and drives growth and innovation in the rural economy, building on SRUC’s facilities, expertise and geographic spread to support the needs of a dynamic, innovative and competitive rural sector in Scotland and beyond;

2. Creating a model for collaborative team working within SRUC and across Scotland that includes establishing regional alliances to address local skills needs, a gateway for rapid translation and application of the world-leading

5

research taking place at Scotland’s scientific institutes and universities to deliver economic and social impact;

3. Ensure that SRUC returns an outstanding UK leading Research Excellence Framework (REF) return in 2022 and joins the top six ranked schools of agriculture in the world;

4. Build on our comparative advantage as a Small Specialist Institution to develop excellent student centred teaching and learning, informed by world class research and industry need across the spectrum of tertiary education;

5. Advance the use of our knowledge of data intensive agriculture to deliver profitable sustainable farming and support prosperous rural communities;

6. Drive and maximise commercial opportunities, promoting an entrepreneurial culture throughout SRUC which is outward facing, strongly connected to industry and creates economic growth;

7. Bring an international focus to all we do.

This Outcome Agreement includes input from across the Divisions of SRUC in line with a project plan which includes consultation and review with staff, SRUCSA (the Students’ Association) and the recognised Trade Unions through established SRUC committee structures.

1.2 Strategy SRUC developed its first Strategic Plan 2013-18 with supporting annually updated Divisional Business Plans. Following the appointment of SRUC’s new Principal and Chief Executive in 2016, the organisation strategy is being reviewed and can currently be articulated as follows:

1.2.1 Vision SRUC’s overarching vision is focused on: “Leading innovation and sustainable development in agriculture, land and the rural sector” The vision can be further articulated in that “SRUC is recognised for its global and local impact on food and environmental security through world-class research, education, training and consulting”.

It will achieve this vision through the following global aim: · To provide world-leading research, innovation, education, training and

consulting, in support of global food and environmental security, sustainable rural development, and animal and human wellbeing.

1.2.2 Mission SRUC’s mission is to be:

“Committed to excellence and innovation in the advancement, communication and translation of knowledge throughout the rural sector.”

1.2.3 Equality and Diversity SRUC is committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality and human rights. This is based on a human rights based approach which is underpinned by human rights values. This increased emphasis and cultural

6

change is ongoing and SRUC will continue to progress this approach in all areas of work which are underpinned by the SRUC values

Respect Innovate Support Excel

The Equality Act 2010 Public Sector Equality Duty requires SRUC, in the exercise of the functions, to have due regard to the need to:

· Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and other prohibited conduct;

· Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not; and

· Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

In meeting the requirements of the Scottish Specific Duties SRUC has developed the following Equality Outcomes for 2017-2021 with an accompanying action plan:

Equality Outcome 1 Equality and diversity is firmly embedded in our management, leadership and governance structures and practice, ensuring equality of opportunity of employees, learners and stakeholders in recruitment, retention and progression.

Equality Outcome 2 SRUC embraces a culture which is underpinned by dignity and respect, values all employees, learners and stakeholders resulting in parity of experience in an inclusive learning and working environment.

Equality Outcome 3 Employees and students from all backgrounds are encouraged to achieve high levels of success and attainment.

The accompanying organisation action plan to support achieving these equality outcomes will take us from 2017 to 2021. Some of the main activities to be undertaken include: the development of Senior Equality Champions; Hate Incident reporting for all; supporting equality and diversity in education (marketing, curriculum development, curriculum delivery/learning and teaching activities); the Equality and Diversity Committee will now be chaired by the Deputy Principal with representation from all Divisions; the updating of the equality, diversity and human rights intranet and SharePoint sites; and the inclusion of equality and diversity focused questions in employee surveys. In addition, all SRUC staff are required to undertake training in Equality and Diversity through an online module.

SRUC is also taking part in the Equality Challenge Unit project “Attracting diversity: equality in student recruitment in Scottish Colleges”.

SRUC mainstreaming report, equality outcome report, employment and Gender Pay Gap information are published as per the legal requirement and these are available on the external website http://www.sruc.ac.uk/info/120178/equality_and_diversity. Some of our mainstreaming activities include employing a dedicated Equality and Diversity Business Partner to lead on the work with employees and students, equality

7

and diversity being led from the top and it is a standing/regular agenda item for Board, Executive Management Team and Divisional Management Team meetings.

A new equality and human rights impact assessment system was developed and launched in early 2016. The Outcome Agreement has been impact assessed using the new forms with the involvement of the Equality and Diversity Business Partner.

1.2.4 Principal Operations The activities of SRUC are currently delivered through three operational Divisions; Education, Research and Consulting and these Divisions are supported by our Finance and Professional Services Division. The new organisational strategy will emphasise the integration of SRUC’s research, education and consultancy specialisms. This integration results in skilled interdisciplinary teams with the capacity to absorb new science and technology and deliver a systems-based approach to tackling local, national and global agri-food challenges. As SRUC enters a new era, we are refreshing and enhancing the ways in which our three specialisms work together, thereby strengthening our ability to connect science and industry. Driven by excellence, we will maximise our impact and secure our national leadership role to drive innovation and economic growth in rural Scotland and further afield.

Research and consultancy already input to Education delivery as well as cross-SRUC ‘themed’ events such as dairying, smart-farming and food and drink. Staff from the Education Division contribute actively to cross-divisional initiatives, including our Rural Policy Centre and Carbon Management Centre.

Consultancy services are delivered by our Consulting Veterinary Services and Consulting Solutions through a network of 24 Farm Rural Business Services offices, 8 Veterinary Disease Surveillance Centres and the Central Diagnostic Laboratory. In addition, SRUC operates 6 farms, which are used for academic purposes. The consulting and research work is key in delivery of KE at all levels. Targets for SAC Consulting Services are given in Appendix 1.

1.2.5 Knowledge Transfer and Exchange at SRUC Knowledge transfer and exchange activities are fundamental to achieving SRUC’s mission – committed to excellence in the advancement, communication and translation of knowledge throughout the rural sector.

Our KTE programmes focused locally, nationally (UK) and internationally, play a major role in establishing the identity and value of SRUC outputs and outcomes from its research activities to our key audience groups of policy makers, public, science and industry. We undertake a major programme of externally focused KTE activities which promotes innovative change within the land-based industries from our research programme. This is further supported by a programme of internal KTE to ensure that staff in different roles across the organisation appreciate the value of the broad range of facilities and expertise available across our multi-campus locations. Further specific internal KTE activities are also designed to promote an entrepreneurial and innovative approach, not only in our staff but also in our student population, many of whom leave the college to go into rural based business enterprises or indeed set up enterprises in their own right.

8

1.3 SRUC Students’ Association (SRUCSA) The Students’ Association has been going from strength to strength since its inception at the merger in 2012. Representing a geographically-dispersed FE/HE student body is not without its challenges. This was acknowledged by NUS in 2016, with the accolade of ‘Best Small and Specialist Students Association’.

The sabbatical President and Vice President have been raising the profile of the Students’ Association across the SRUC Education Division in particular by making frequent visits to all campuses to meet students and staff.

The Association continues to carry out self-evaluations using the ‘Framework for developing strong & effective students’ associations, ensuring strong development and awareness of its areas of work. This has guided SRUCSA’s 10 aims for the year including, currently, to engage every class representative to drive a more effective representational system.

In order to ensure representation of all students, SRUCSA will carry out appropriate activities to engage underrepresented groups with support from SRUC’s Equality and Diversity Business Partner. This includes the creation of liberation groups; such groups will focus on the rights of people who are often underrepresented and disadvantaged within education and society as a whole. They will take part in NUS liberation activity and will support SRUC’s ECU project on gender imbalance in courses. These projects will help to develop a more representative and inclusive students’ association and ensure the institution is accessible to all students.

SRUCSA is developing its student experience role though clubs, societies, sports and cross-campus trips and activities. The SRUCSA Executive team recognises the need to reach out to and represent students wherever and however they learn. A review and remodel of the SRUCSA dedicated website is being carried out to support growing social media channels. A communication plan will aim to effectively use methods of engagement, online and offline. During AY 2016/17 SRUCSA have carried out a constitutional review, ensuring the constitution reflects the aims of the Association. This has resulted in changes to the SRUCSA Executive structure with the introduction of a Sports and Societies Officer who will develop the extra curriculum experience.

SRUCSA also participates in external work; it is an affiliated member of the National Union of Students (NUS). The NUS is recognised as the national voice for students and SRUCSA engages with the NUS to ensure that the interests of SRUC students can be represented on a national scale.

The sabbatical officers are involved in College decision making; the President sits on the SRUC Board and both officers sit on the Academic Board and a variety of other key SRUC committees. The Campus officers chair student councils on each campus and report to a Student Liaison Committee, where a non-executive SRUC board member can be directly engaged for student input into strategic discussions.

The Association played a key role in initiating the projects for the Student Partnership Agreement with the College. This will be reviewed this year with two new project areas for 2017/18 – Student Evaluation and Assessment Feedback. SRUCSA has had the opportunity to read and comment on drafts of the Outcome Agreement both independently and through Committee membership. SRUCSA also participated in an Education Division Strategy event where strategic priorities were identified.

9

For 2017/18 SRUCSA will continue to be funded by SRUC on its agreed model; SRUC directly pays the salaries, travel and subsistence costs of two sabbatical officers and provides accommodation, dedicated staff support and business services. In addition, a block grant is allocated to the Association and this has been maintained at the same level for 2016/17. The block grant is managed by SRUCSA to cover operating expenses, a significant part of which relates to payroll costs of elected officers.

10

2. Widening Access

Priority 1 Widening access – learning that is accessible and diverse, attracting and providing more equal opportunities for people of all ages, and from all communities and backgrounds. In summary SRUC will:

· Commit to making learning accessible, providing opportunities for all and supporting all learners through their learner journey and to reach a successful conclusion.

· Embed the access and inclusion strategy (see Appendix 2) across all campuses and focus on providing support and guidance to all learners, using technology where appropriate.

With a focus on Higher Education, SRUC continues to support and contribute to Widening Participation partnerships, funded all or in part by SHEP, in regional areas across Scotland.

As per previous years, these remain:

· Lothian Equal Access Programme for Schools (LEAPS): City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders, West Lothian, East Lothian, Midlothian, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling.

· ASPIRENorth: Northern Scotland · Lift Off: Angus, Dundee and Fife. · Focus West: West of Scotland

In addition, SRUC is involved in the Kickstart Edinburgh Programme in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University, the University of Edinburgh and Queen Margaret University. The Kickstart programme delivers a summer school opportunity to school pupils from East Lothian, Midlothian, and West Lothian and selected schools from City of Edinburgh and Dumfries and Galloway.

Working with these partnership organisations optimises the impact we can make with the resources we have. SRUC also liaises regularly with SWAP – the Scottish Wider Access Programme – attending national and regional meetings and contributing where possible to their portfolio of access courses.

SRUC is also collaborating in a joint regional event in Dumfries & Galloway, the “Planning for your future” programme, to raise the profile of the Crichton Campus and academic and vocational opportunities within the region.

To build on previous successful events, SRUC will this year aim to use a portion of its allocated University Innovation Fund to fund Knowledge Exchange focused campus Community Open Days at four of our six sites (Aberdeen, Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge campuses). These events aim to raise awareness of courses in those local communities, widening our reach to the community surrounding the campuses more generally than just a focus on the rural sector, and showcase the impact of SRUC research, teaching and services to the land-based sector.

In addition, SRUC will identify education and skills needs in the Food and Drink sector, using our specialism to support the sector, particularly in relation to primary production.

SRUC’s relationships with its regional college partners endeavour to create choices for the local population. The recruitment success of HND Business Management Ayrshire College students into the third year of the Rural Business Management degree at the Ayr campus

11

demonstrates that SRUC offers attractive alternative, land-based progression opportunities for those studying main-stream higher national courses. This approach will be further explored at other campuses with their neighbouring regional colleges.

As a national institution, we have relatively high levels of internal articulation. SRUC aims to offer more than 88% of applicants with HN qualifications entry with advanced standing, with the remaining 12% dominated by those whose HN is not directly relevant to their chosen area of study. The target is similar for both external and internal applicants.

SRUC’s specific HE aim in 2015/16 was to increase the proportion of MD40 (including MD20) from the 2014/15 level of 27.2% by 1% per year and in 2015/16 it increased to 28.9% with an estimated figure of 28.1% in 2016/17. This remains a positive outcome given the change in the make up of our student population in 2016/17 with the transfer out of provision to the University of the West of Scotland and the transfer in of provision from North East Scotland College (NESCol). With regard to MD20, in order to meet the COWA target of 20% by 2030, SRUC has been more ambitious with its target than before, setting a target of 13.1% in 2017/18 and continual improvements year on year thereafter.

SRUC’s specific target for FE was to increase the proportion of Credits delivered to learners in the most deprived 10% postcode areas from the 2014/15 level of 6.7%. Overall this level fell slightly in 2015/16 but given the specialist rural nature of our course portfolio, at all levels, reaching inner-city urban students is a challenge to SRUC. We continue to try to reach such areas and SRUC’s collaboration with New College Lanarkshire (NCL) on NC Animal Care provision is an example of this. There is good progression from this collaborative delivery on to other SRUC courses.

In the FE sector, SRUC remains committed to our unique structure of progression opportunities which allow students to progress through SCQF levels in their chosen subject area. As an FE/HE provider, SRUC delivers progression talks and workshops internally to promote access to Higher Education to our own student body. There has been a significant increase since the 2014/15 baseline of 61 SDUE entrants from college to UG programmes having risen to more than 200. SRUC highlights progression routes and opportunities extensively in marketing materials, which was recognised in 2016 when the SRUC 2016 Prospectus secured two award successes: a shortlist nomination for Best Prospectus from a Specialist Institution from the HEIST awards (Higher Education) and a Bronze Award for Best Publicity Material from the Scotland’s Colleges Marketing Awards (Further Education).

Over the past year SRUC has implemented changes in the management of student funding, with a change of software aiming for a more integrated approach with the student MIS and seeking to ensure that students are aware of and can access all funds appropriately. A key contact at each campus Education Office facilitates enquiries at a local level.

SRUC is fully engaged with Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce and has identified staff to engage with each of the DYW Regional Groups relevant to our campuses. SRUC is also improving the level of schools liaison achieved by resourcing a new part-time secondment post to coordinate and develop future activity for schools within SRUC.

As a provider which encompasses both HE and FE, much of SRUC’s activity has impact at both levels. SRUC continues to have a diverse student body both in terms of our young:mature student ratio (around 60% for both HE SDUE under 21 and FE proportion of credits delivered to learners aged 16 -19) and our male:female ratio (for HE SDUE around 47% and for FE around 67% of credits delivered to male learners). However, the FE gender balance is expected to be more balanced in 2016/17 with the transferred in provision from NESCol and Edinburgh College. SRUC continues to ensure that mature students and ethnic diversity are well represented in the imagery used in our publicity materials, whilst upholding our ethos of using real photographs of real students.

12

SRUC does have particular subject areas which are susceptible to gender imbalance. Veterinary Nursing (and to a lesser extent Animal Care) courses remain predominantly female while Land-based Engineering programmes remain predominantly male. SRUC has embarked on a project in collaboration with the Equality Challenge Unit to investigate the causes and impacts of the gender imbalance in those specific courses, with a view to seeing what activities and strategies can be employed to mitigate this. SRUC continues to use positive messages in marketing materials, incorporating images and student profiles of less well represented groups whenever possible and continues to develop targeted promotion of subject areas where gender imbalance is a particular issue. SRUC has not yet drawn final conclusions or plans from this project, which is due to end in 2018.

As part of forthcoming campus open days, activities are planned which will provide potential applicants with a taste of both animal care/veterinary nursing activity and also engineering activity and they will then be asked to share their experiences and views. As well as highlighting the range of opportunities available to potential students, this should provide greater understanding of the choices and interests of those interested in these subject areas.

Historically, agriculture was a predominantly male dominated profession but the number of female agriculture students has steadily increased and the project will review agriculture recruitment initiatives to inform outcomes. It is interesting to note the 2016/17 gender balance for students studying at different levels and at different campuses. Whilst overall 21.3% of full time FE (NC) agriculture students are female in 2016/17, this varies across the three campuses involved from 12.5% (Barony campus) to 38.9% (Oatridge campus). However, when considering HNC registered agriculture students Oatridge has the lowest percentage of females (23.8%) compared to an average of 35.6%. For HE agriculture students overall (HNC, HND and degree registered) 33.6% are female, clearly higher than the FE cohort, but again there is variation across campuses (from 18.5% to 60%). It will be interesting to consider changes over time as part of the ongoing project.

Another course area which has a significant gender imbalance (>75%) is Golf Course Management. The greenkeeping industry is predominately male and so it is challenging to encourage greater female participation. We would hope that the outcomes from the gender project relating to Veterinary Nursing and Engineering may also inform this area, together with clear targets for gender across these programmes.

SRUC is aware that the additional courses which have been transferred into its portfolio from other institutions this year, in Veterinary Nursing and Animal Care from both NESCol and Edinburgh College, will likely weaken our gender balance in the future. Student numbers on these courses are not insignificant, and are typically young and female.

SRUC has improved the experience of and the support offered to care experienced students through the introduction of new protocols and procedures. Awareness raising of SRUC’s role as a Corporate Parent is at the fore – posters and leaflets are available at each campus as a visible initial prompt to students, staff and visitors. These give information on who to contact at each campus, and encourage declaration at any stage of the journey at SRUC.

SRUC has a Corporate Parenting Plan – an action plan to support out students who are care experienced or who are carers. This sets out SRUC’s services and internal processes, acknowledging “Getting it Right for Every Child” and the SHANARRI (safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included) principles which underpin it. The plan covers both those who are care experienced and those who are carers. In 2016/17 10 students identified themselves as care experienced (5 FE, 5 HE) of whom two FE have subsequently withdrawn and one HE has deferred study after one semester. In terms of those with caring responsibility, there were declarations by 26 students (6 FE, 20 HE) of which one HE student has subsequently withdrawn.

13

The additional challenges for these students are recognised and addressed according to the needs of the individual. This might include negotiated adjustments such as flexible attendance and deadlines, sympathetic work placements and offering financial advice. Highlighting the assistance which is available at the earliest stage should give reassurance. The aim is to ensure that the support available should be highlighted throughout the SRUC journey – at enquiry, application, interview, induction and during the period of study. To this end posters ad leaflets are available on each campus and information is also on the SRUC website. Staff development at each campus is planned for summer 2017.

Declarations at registration are automatically forwarded to the SRUC Care Adviser, who notifies the named person at the appropriate campus. This enables every declared care experienced student to be consulted early in their studies, when a support plan is created where required. At this time, external links are discussed, with the option for the sharing of information being offered. Throughout their studies, this named person provides a confidential and caring point of contact, ensuring that the student is accessing all of the help (academic, financial and pastoral) that they are entitled to. They also act as a liaison for the student, both within SRUC and with external agencies, to ensure that the most appropriate package of support is available.

ELS funding received by SRUC is used to support a wide range of needs in our student population. Without this funding we would not be able to provide the level of support and assistive technology required. However, this funding is limited and was not increased with the transferred in provision at the Aberdeen and Oatridge campuses. This has proved particularly challenging at Aberdeen where there was previously little FE provision (around 15 FTEs per year). Our commitment to provide equal opportunities at all six campuses for all students has proved difficult to achieve but we have invested in new staff resources at the Aberdeen campus and seek to share expertise and equipment where possible. Our ambitions include greater focus on the protected characteristics and also improvement in our analysis of (and actions resulting from) successful completions and destinations by the protected characteristics. More analysis is required here in order to clearly define the baseline figures and to set targets. With small numbers overall care needs to be taken in interpreting these results for some of the protected characteristics. In the 2015/16 end of year survey both learning support staff and personal support were rated very highly - over 80% of respondents said they were good or excellent in both cases. This was a slight increase on the previous year and a positive feature which we seek to consolidate and build upon.

14

3. High Quality, Efficient and Effective Learning

Priority 2 High quality learning and teaching – an outstanding system of learning that is accessible and diverse where students progress successfully with the ability, ideas and ambition to make a difference.

In summary, SRUC will:

· Commit to engage with Education Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council and the Quality Assurance Agency to develop a strategy suited to SRUC’s unique status in order to implement the new quality approach and the integration of the new quality arrangements, OA evaluation and reporting;

· Aim to increase retention and the proportion of students, including protected characteristic (and MD10/20/40) groups, successfully completing their course;

· Through the National Strategy Group for Education and Training implement the recommendations and address the emerging issues which were identified within the National Strategy published in August 2015;

· Reflect on clear unmet needs within the land-based sector and how resources might need to be reprioritised in the short-medium term, including ESOL activity;

· Continue to review portfolio offer to ensure sustainable delivery and that provision is well aligned with industry demand;

· Enhance our significant commitment to STEM programmes - with a target of 82% of HE students undertaking STEM subjects in AY 2017/18;

· Increase, by 0.5% annually, SRUC’s proportion of full-time, first year degree students returning to study in year 2;

· Aim to increase the overall SRUC satisfaction rate (76% in 2016) in the NSS in 2017 in line with the HEFCE benchmark (85%);

· Internationalise the student experience, enhance and increase student mobility, particularly outward student mobility;

· Aim to increase the proportion of Scottish Domiciled Undergraduate Entrants (SDUE) articulating with advanced standing by two percentage points per year from 2017/18 to 2019/20;

· Liaise with College partners to ensure a coherent curriculum offering in Scotland, with seamless progression opportunities;

· Aim to credit rate all provision and continue to promote awareness of the SCQF levels through their inclusion in college publications;

· Work in partnership with partners and stakeholders to appraise, and develop Foundation pathways in relevant vocational areas;

· Appraise the opportunities for higher level Technical and Graduate Apprenticeships and in particular their articulation and permeability with taught higher education provision;

· Engage with regional stakeholders to map STEM provision and develop new vocational pathways as appropriate;

· Establish a baseline of current work placement with reference to the new Work Placement Standard for Colleges and from this we will express our ambitions for growth;

15

· Ensure all vocational courses include a significant element of relevant, high quality work experience; and

· Monitor and report the full extent of meaningful employer engagement.

3.1 Quality and Enhancement SRUC will continue to address the areas for development identified by external QAA/Education Scotland institutional review in 2014. In 2017/18 policies, procedures and structures will continue to be embedded and preparations will begin for the anticipated QAA institutional review.

Internal self evaluation and academic dialogue is being enhanced by the introduction of annual departmental review meetings with Senior Managers, which will contribute to the organisational self evaluation.

SRUC is building on its membership of LANDEX by engaging in networking opportunities, CPD and Peer Review.

3.2 Retention and Attainment SRUC maintains a high degree of success in its FE learners with 71% of full time learners in 2015/16 achieving their qualification (compared to the Scottish national average of 66% and the SFC College target of 69% set for 2016/17). In addition, 91% of our part time learners (courses above 10 hours) also achieved their desired targets (against a Scottish national average of 73%). For students from MD10, 84% successfully achieved their qualification, an increase of some 19 percentage points from 2014/15 (and against a Scottish national average of 65%). This suggests that recruitment processes are effective with learners being directed to programmes that are at the correct level and which they find stimulating and engaging. Departments are expected to review all programmes where attainment is below 65% and devise actions at programme level to effect improvements.

The number of full-time first year students (whether HNC, HND or degree registered) returning to study in year two in 2016/17 is estimated at 85%. The definition and therefore the interpretation of the measure is complicated by the fact that SRUC has a high proportion of HNC registered first years and also a high level of students articulating directly into years two and three, both within SRUC and from other institutions. SRUC aims to increase this level as it continues its commitment to widening access and the overall learner journey. However, it should be acknowledged that students can leave at the end of year one with an industry sought after HN qualification, even if degree registered.

A study was carried out within SRUC to investigate FE level retention and investigated the four characteristics - age, gender, ethnicity and disability status - of full-time FE students at SRUC who did not complete their courses, and the approximate timing of their departure from those courses. No significant relationships were identified but the data demonstrated that students are more likely to withdraw within the first half of their course, with the highest proportion leaving around the Christmas holidays.

The proportion of FE students at SRUC successfully achieving a recognised qualification is good but SRUC aims to increase the rate for full time learners over the next three years to 72% in 2019/20, whilst maintaining the rate for part time learners at 91%. Overall there has been a continued reduction in the level of the non-recognised qualifications.

16

With regard to graduate destinations, measure 9b, SRUC and SFC have discussed the appropriateness of this measure, as it is currently defined. The sectors which SRUC’s vocational academic awards seek to serve are ones which require the work force, particularly in early career, to undertake a variety of responsibilities ranging from very hands-on to supervisory, managerial and leadership. This is particularly the case for our graduates who return to family enterprises or enter the third sector. The current definition of professional within the DLHE is too narrow to appropriately and fairly represent the achievements of our graduates. For example, those graduating in agriculture and taking up a farm management role are not classified as being in a ‘professional’ employment destination.

3.3 National Land-Based Strategy The provision of land-based education and training is delivered in part through the regional college structure and in part by SRUC as the National Provider. The National Strategy for Land-Based Education and Training commissioned by the Scottish Funding Council and led by SRUC was published on the SFC website on 6 August 2015. The document can be accessed at:

http://www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/ReportsandPublications/national_land_based_strategy.pdf

As part of this project a full desktop review of the Regional Skills Assessments and Highlands and Islands Skills Investment Plan was undertaken; however, despite the importance of the land-based sector to the Scottish economy, there is extremely limited data and reference within these documents to the land-based sector.

The National Land-Based Strategy report recognises the diverse range of industry sectors within the land-based sector and has been structured in a way that allows an analysis of the data and the issues arising within each industry sector.

The structure allows each industry sector report to be used as a working document in addressing the emerging issues and the key recommendations at a sectorial level. Colleges continue to be expected to take into consideration the emerging issues and recommendations within the report during the curriculum planning and quality enhancement process within their institutions.

In 2015/16 SRUC successfully negotiated the re-alignment of Animal Care, Sport and Veterinary Nursing provision between SRUC, UWS, Edinburgh College and NESCol, with staff and student transfer occurring in August 2016.

SRUC will continue to work closely with partner colleges, employers and learners to ensure the needs of the land-based sector are met effectively. Skills Investment Plans are of limited use - there is no Skills Investment plan for land based rather land based is embedded within Food & Drink and the majority of regional skills investment plans make little mention of land-based.

3.4 Portfolio Offer and Activity levels for AY 2016/17 SRUC’s portfolio offer continues to be reviewed to ensure sustainable delivery that is well aligned with industry demand and the recommendations within the National Strategy. Table B shows the planned provision pathways for 2017/18. It is intended that SRUC will consolidate its HE provision, and limited growth will come from RUK and International students. As a result of the National Land-based Strategy, in August 2016 Animal Care and Veterinary Nursing activity transferred from NESCol to SRUC in Aberdeen and Veterinary Nursing activity transferred from Edinburgh College to the Oatridge Campus. In parallel, SRUC transferred out the BA Sports

17

Coaching and Development provision from the Ayr Campus to the University of the West of Scotland.

Table A: Provision Pathways for AY 2017/18 SCQF Level

Subject area 1-3 4-6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Agriculture

B O Ab

B O Ab Ay Ed

O Ab Ay Ed

Ab Ay Ed

Ab Ay Ed

Ed** DL

Ay Ed

Animal Care & Vet Nursing

E*

B E O Ab DL

B E O Ab

B E O Ab

Applied Science and Technology

Ay Ed DL

Ay Ed

Ay Ed

Ay Ed

Ed** DL

Ay Ed

Business Management

E

E Ab

Ed

E Ab

Ed

Ab Ay Ed

Ab Ay Ed

DL

Ed

Environment, Countryside and Conservation

E*

E O Ab

O Ab Ay Ed DL

O Ab Ay Ed

Ab Ay Ed

Ab Ay Ed

Ed** DL

Ed

Equine O O Forestry & Arboriculture B Greenkeeping & Golf Management E*

E

E DL

E DL

Horticulture and Garden Design

E*

E O

E

Ay Ed

Ay Ed

Ed

Ed

Land-based Engineering B

B O

Sport, Tourism and Outdoor Pursuits E*

E O

E

E

Ay

* Broad-based Access to Land-based Studies/Rural Skills provision ** In partnership with the University of Edinburgh Note: There are also level 12 students at other locations.

B = Barony, E = Elmwood, O = Oatridge, Ab = Aberdeen, Ay = Ayr, Ed = Edinburgh DL = distance learning

The provisional allocation of credits across the SRUC campuses delivering FE provision in 2017/18 is shown in Table C. The allocation of credits across the campuses will continue to be refined further in line with the Academic Department plans. A similar exercise has been carried out with regard to the HE (FTEs) for 2017/18 (Table C). Inclusion in the SRUC early and late statistics return in 2016/17 of shared postgraduate provision with the University of Edinburgh, together with the transferred in HE provision from NESCol for which no funded place allocation has to date been made, both require further consideration by SFC in terms of the SRUC fundable places allocation for 2017/18 and beyond.

Academic Year 2017/18 will be the final year of delivery of Outdoor Pursuits degree (year 4) at SRUC and represents the last of the delivery of sport/activities delivery beyond level 8 at SRUC.

SRUC has had some challenges in meeting HE recruitment targets – both regionally and by subject area. This clearly impacts on sustainability and will impact on the

18

shape of provision going forward. SRUC is further investing in marketing and recruitment initiatives such as website improvement, utilising commercial UCAS market intelligence and the introduction of a customer enquiries record system to enhance our activity in this area.

SRUC currently offers 10 undergraduate degree programmes (down from 15 in 2015); the necessary streamlining of our course provision does need to be complimented by the introduction of new, market researched, courses to add to our portfolio. Investments in marketing are paying off – website hits have increased, brand recognition is improving, and we have confidence in our current promotional strategy, but uncertainty over campus longevity (and associated “bad news” stories in local press) does impact negatively on student recruitment particularly in impacted regions. Clarity over strategic direction should improve this in the future. While a significant proportion of our student body is mature, SRUC is also impacted by the reducing school leaver population, which decreases demand for both FE and HE courses and will be in decline until 2020.

Table B: FE Credits and HE FTE targets for AY 2017/18

SRUC FE credits SRUC HE activity

(FTEs) SRUC HE activity

(FTEs)

Target 2017/18 Target 2017/18 Actual 2016/17

Aberdeen 3,245 275 276 Ayr 345 250 238

Barony 4,700 115 117 Edinburgh 500 500 Elmwood 6,880 225 168 Oatridge 7,697 185 174

Total 22,867 1,550 1,473

Table C: HE Pattern of Provision (2016/17 actual at 1 December 2016) Programme Area Aberdeen

FTEs Ayr

FTEs Barony FTEs

Edinburgh FTEs

Elmwood FTEs

Oatridge FTEs

Total FTEs

Agriculture 108.3 58.0 13.0 105.8 44.3 329.4 Horticulture / Garden Design 27.2 127.0 6.0 22.5 182.7 Equine 19.0 19 Environment / Countryside / Conservation

70.5 35.8 111.3 46.0 263.6

Applied Science / Technology / Poultry

92.1 79.0 171.1

Animal Care / Vet Nursing 40.3 104.0 51.7 42.7 238.7 Greenkeeping / Golf Management

38.1 38.1

Rural Business Management 54.0 15.0 74.0 143.0 Sport / Tourism / Outdoor Pursuits

10.0 66.0 76.0

Total HE Provision 273.1 238.1 117.0 497.1 161.8 174.5 1461.6

SRUC has a high proportion of HE entrants on STEM programmes. The commitment to STEM programmes remains high with a target of 80% SDUE (603 FTE) for HE STEM subjects in AY 2017/18, reflecting the transfer out of BA Sports Coaching to UWS and the transfer in of HN Animal Care.

19

3.5 Developing Young Workforce A recognised challenge for SRUC is to engage across all geographies in delivering senior phase vocational pathways. Current provision is largely within the north east and the south west. The development of a Schools Engagement Strategy and the appointment of a Schools Co-ordinator will give focus and will facilitate the further development of appropriate partnerships with Local Authorities, schools and employers.

This activity may be expected to include further enhancements around existing provision: the Ringlink/SRUC Internship Programme, Rural Skills, and NFUS Dairy Skills programmes, in addition to potential developments within the Foundation Apprenticeship frameworks.

In addressing these areas we must also look at articulation and progression opportunities, particularly for those wishing to pursue work-based learning pathway. In this context we will work with partners in assessing and reviewing the opportunities for Advanced and Graduate Level Apprenticeships and will seek to develop these as appropriate.

3.6 Mapping STEM Provision SRUC is keen to support STEM provision. As a specialist institution delivering within the science, technology and engineering disciplines we believe we have a key role to play both regionally and nationally in supporting existing, emerging and future STEM priorities. In particular we have key strengths within the applied plant, animal and soil sciences, the sustainable and green technology sectors and in land-based engineering.

By working with local authorities, schools and colleges within our regions and importantly, by virtue of our geography, across regions, we can make valuable contribution. This is already being evidenced through dialogue with SDS and engagement with “non-traditional” sectors with respect to developments within Graduate Apprenticeship Frameworks. We will prioritise new vocational pathways within these disciplines.

Opportunities also existing to conceptualise learning for senior phase schools within a land-based context and where possible we will work with schools and their teachers and other factors to achieve this.

3.7 Work Placement Standards SRUC education provision is highly vocational, extending from SCQF Level 4 up to Level 12, and as such offers exceptional and diverse work related opportunities for practical skills development and contextualised learning, helping to prepare our graduates, at all levels, for employment.

Both formal, recognised and informal work experience opportunities are supported within our provision and these are further enhanced by a broad range of other activities which are variously supported by employers, industry bodies and other stakeholders. These include, but are not limited to, employer presentations, sites visits, career events, enterprise activities and business competitions – SRUC student achievements include the Farmers Weekly Agriculture Student of the Year 2017, Farmers Club Pinnacle Awards Silver Medal, Lantra awards and Agriscot Business Skills.

20

SRUC will establish a baseline of current Work Placement with reference to the new Work Placement Standard for Colleges and from this we will express our ambitions for growth.

3.8 Employer Engagement SRUC engagement with employers is extensive and far reaching. Full time learners undertake substantial formal and informal work experience and placement activity during their learning whilst part-time and Modern Apprentice learners (estimate 430 AY2016/17) are in employment with their employers and engaged within the learning process. In addition we deliver a substantial volume of accredited short course training activity to c.4,500 individuals annually in direct support of employer need and employment demand. This activity has been further enhanced through National Land-Based Strategy consultation activity. Furthermore we engage more formally through industry e.g. SRUC / NFUS Agriculture Education Workshop, where frank and open discussions input into both delivery and design.

In addition we work with employers through our extensive Research and Consultancy networks of over 10,000 businesses which helps expose our education to the cutting edge and innovative performers within our industries.

All course and curriculum development activity is dependent upon and subject to formal employer input with respect to demand, content, design and delivery to ensure as best possible that our provision is employer-led, meeting the needs of the industries we support. As a result we are very aware of the employment opportunities and career paths which we are equipping our students for. As well as core skills including communication, problem solving and teamwork, which are embedded in all levels of the curriculum, there is also an increased emphasis on enterprise and entrepreneurship ranging from specific business modules (including skills in business set up, financial management and marketing) to fundraising by horticulture students as part of their show garden module. The use of case studies enables skills to be developed in an integrated manner either by individual students or in teams and these are often based on real business situations including input from and feedback to the business owner.

Collectively this activity results in an “engaged” sector.

3.9 Work Experience SFC has included “work experience” courses and unit indicators to FES to begin to collect and measure “work experience” activity. We will use this data as a baseline from which to measure and monitor future provision, share best practice and to ensure that we are consistently improving student employment prospects.

3.10 Apprenticeships Whilst SRUC supports a range of provision at the upper secondary phase there is currently no Foundation Apprenticeship within the land-based sector, a situation which a range of actors in the sector are keen to address. SRUC will necessarily need to be at the heart of such a development and respond to the inevitable impacts on articulation and progression of learners onto higher level awards.

In the current year a pilot programme in Dumfries & Galloway supported by schools, the Local Education Authority and the National Farmers Union of Scotland is offering a senior phase Dairy Skills pathway into agriculture. This programme has attracted enthusiastic support from all partners and most importantly the learners who spend a day a week on farm and a day a month in College.

21

SRUC is actively engaged in discussions through a number of formal and informal fora with both FE and HE institutions, SDS, and employers on the potential development of Graduate Level Apprenticeship pathways within both land-based and relevant STEM vocational areas. Land-based pathways, both building upon Level 3 Modern Apprenticeships and offering direct work-based opportunities are attracting employer attention.

The Dumfries & Galloway Dairy Skills initiative is in direct response to a recognised need by employers to attract and retain skilled entrants into this sector and whilst numbers may be perceived as low, the impact of job and opportunity creation in remoter rural areas is immeasurably higher.

Within North East Scotland an internship programme, working with both employers and an employers co-operative, is directly addressing employers needs across a broad range of agricultural businesses for work-ready new entrants. Additionally this programme provides a delivery model equally applicable in other regions and vocations.

Within the majority of Regional Skills Assessments land-based and more specialist areas and industries are poorly represented and these more generic labour market intelligence sources can be of less value and greater cognisance is made of industry-specific data gathering e.g. the National Strategy for Land-based Education & Training, Skills Investment Plan for Scotland’s Food & Drink Sector, and direct engagement and dialogue with our industries.

3.11 National Student Survey 2016 was the fourth year of SRUC participation in the National Student Survey (NSS). SRUC’s target audience is relatively small the level of participation (60% as for 2015) meant that overall results for 2016 were published. The number of students responding increased from 153 in 2015 to 157 in 2016. HND Veterinary Nursing students were included for the first time in 2016.

Overall satisfaction dropped by five percentage points in 2016 compared to 2015. This was disappointing although the variation is more marked when smaller numbers are involved. There was improvement in some aspects of the delivery as an institution and for particular subject areas. SRUCSA is disappointed in its rating and has indicated that it will focus on its Class Representative system this academic session to ensure that students understand the role SRUCSA has in representing their views and are equipped to provide SRUC with more timely feedback at programme to address areas of concern.

Non-published results have again assisted in identifying particular areas for development by curriculum teams and Departments have been required to consider the results and include action as part of their Quality Enhancement Plans. Likewise, where there are identifiable student support issues, members of the Student Experience Committee consider these. SRUC also produces “you said, we did” posters which include generic issues but also have a local campus focus, drawing on issues raised at the Student Liaison Committees.

SRUC’s overarching quality action plan includes a number of NSS related actions:

· To work with SRUCSA to develop a student partnership project to promote and enhance engagement with surveys;

· To review staff and student guidance for Student Liaison Group (course specific) meetings, to consider options for improved cross campus liaison and to review mechanisms for feedback to students following these meetings;

22

· To identify departmental actions to address issues raised in the NSS, for inclusion in departmental quality action plans;

· To continue to offer assessment and feedback workshops for staff at each campus;

· To re-establish the student partnership agreement project focusing on assessment.

SRUC aims to move towards the HEFCE institutional benchmark set for SRUC, reflecting the subject/student mix, of an 85% overall satisfaction level.

3.12 Internationalising the Student Experience SRUC continues to be an attractive destination for European students and staff from partner institutions with inbound ERASMUS students increasing from 15 in AY2014/15 to 25 in 2015/16 and 26 in 2016/17. These students, typically SCQF Level 9, study with us for one semester with the main attractions being language, vocational area and destination. Our Edinburgh campus has been the primary destination although Ayr and Aberdeen have also hosted. A challenge remains for us to attract international students to each campus. In addition we host a number of short duration study tours and staff development mobilities from partner institutions.

Involvement in outward mobility and engagement with those on inward mobility and international students bring an additional dimension to the SRUC learning and student experience. Study tours overseas, which are usually optional but can be an integral part of a course (eg. the International Garden Design module) further widen the student experience. Mobility, even for a short period, can enhance educational, employment and cultural opportunities. Strong relationships with EU partners have been developed both from a research and an educational perspective and SRUC continues to host student and academic staff visits from a range of countries, including those within the EU. These activities will continue as we seek to maintain our links internationally for the benefit of students and staff and the institution overall.

For many SRUC students, particularly agriculture students, the international experience is typically, and historically has been, a working year abroad in the Antipodes after graduation. However we are now experiencing, and welcome, an increasing demand for European study opportunities from our other vocational areas, and we anticipate a growth in outbound student numbers in 2017/18. In looking forward a modest target will be to match outbound and inbound numbers, dependent upon securing appropriate British Council contracts. In support of this activity we currently have 18 bi-lateral institutional agreements under Erasmus+ and hold an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education.

An emerging aspect of our international strategy is to develop and grow an international educational consultancy activity focusing on our key strengths in the development and delivery of land-based education and training, and offering support in related curriculum, teacher and institutional development. This has been initiated in 2016 and we will seek to further enhance our competencies and capabilities through 2017/18. In particular we anticipate a number of existing and emerging partnerships within the Scottish College sector, being key to opening new educational opportunities for SRUC both within Europe and internationally.

3.13 ESOL Activity ESOL provision is currently focused at the SRUC Elmwood campus with provision being offered to schools (Chatterbox Club), the local community and current students. Online training is provided through Moodle, to enable volunteers to gain

23

the skills needed to provide additional support to existing community students. The ESOL Co-ordinator is an active member of a number of local and national groups concerned with adult literacy and ESOL provision. There is potential to replicate this provision across the SRUC campuses in future if demand exists.

3.14 National Gaelic Language Plan SRUC is supportive of the National Gaelic Language Plan, though there is currently no delivery of courses in the Gaelic language, or any plans to do so in future. SRUC will continue to monitor interest from Gaelic speakers and also to make appropriate arrangements for individuals with Gaelic language requirements.

3.15 SCQF Credit Rating SRUC operating divisions offer a considerable and diverse portfolio of competence and knowledge based learning provision across the broad range of vocations, and levels, which we support. To date little of this material has benefitted from credit rating and levelling under the Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework (SCQF). To address this we will further enhance our competencies and capabilities in credit rating, prioritise materials for credit rating, normalise credit rating as part of the process of developing learning materials, and utilise the SCQF in promoting this learning internally and externally.

24

4. World-leading Research

Priority 3 World-leading research – world-leading universities, nationally and internationally connected with a global reputation for their research.

In summary, SRUC will:

· Achieve 12% of all research income from Research Councils UK (RCUK) by 2018/19;

· Continue to build on our top ranking in Research Power for Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science in Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 by seeking to grow the excellence and impact of our research via mentoring, strategic investment in new posts, and stimulating and monitoring impact from an early stage;

· Increase Postgraduate Research enrolments by 100% over the period 2014 to 2020 and increase enrolments of Postgraduate Taught students by 35% over the same time period;

· Develop further mechanisms for research-informed teaching in 2017/18 and beyond;

· Work towards achieving the Bronze standard for Athena Swan in 2018 · Work to the principles of the Research Integrity Concordat which is embedded

as part of our Quality Assurance integrated Management System.

4.1 The Context for our Research The growing human population and global demand for food, produced more sustainably are continuing key drivers for rural research, education and consulting for the foreseeable future. These are major challenges in their own right, but will need to be addressed in a world with a potentially dramatically changing climate, and with diminishing natural resources, especially fossil fuels, and a shortage of water. A growing range of science, data and technology oriented solutions to these problems are emerging both from SRUC’s own research and elsewhere. These solutions need to be developed, combined and applied in a range of contexts to ensure their impact is maximised and any unintended consequences anticipated and dealt with. Addressing these critical and complex inter-related challenges needs world-class, integrated research, education, KE and consulting. These are needed across a range of disciplines, including life sciences, economics and social sciences. SRUC is uniquely equipped among Scottish HEIs to make a leading contribution in these areas.

4.2 SRUC Research Strategy Our research strategy is to undertake excellent strategic and applied research on the global and local issues mentioned above, and to actively support the translation of research results into practice through excellent knowledge exchange.

We are proud of our heritage as one of the Scottish Government’s Main Research Providers (MRP). As a result of this heritage, we have a particular interest in research that helps inform policy, with Scottish and UK Government rural affairs and environment departments and the EU as key research clients.

Our research ethos is strongly collaborative, and we have a long history of industrial, NGO and academic partnerships, locally and internationally. We have research collaborations in over 50 countries, including many EU countries, North and South America, Australasia, China and Sub-Saharan Africa. We aim to grow and

25

strengthen our international research and impact via joint programmes with leading national (e.g. the Global Challenges Research Fund), international research providers, and partnerships with international funding agencies.

As well as having longstanding disciplinary strengths in several key areas, we actively promote interdisciplinary research, especially linking natural and social sciences. Such research will be essential in addressing the ‘grand challenges’ mentioned above.

4.3 Outcomes SRUC delivers a research programme relevant to national and international rural priorities with emphasis on innovation, application and enterprise. We will seek an increasing proportion of research project funding from RCUK and Innovate UK. Current (2015/16 figures) annual income includes £1.3m from RCUK and £748K from Innovate UK. The amount SRUC received from RCUK in 2015/16 is 9% if all income is taken into account or 16% excluding grant-in-aid from RESAS. The target for SRUC is for 18% of all non-RESAS income (or approximately 12% of all research income) to come from RCUK by 2017/18. Targets for research income growth are noted in the Annex.

As an HEI we are eager to grow our research quality and capability further. To this end, we made a joint submission with the University of Edinburgh to the REF 2014 (Sub-panel 6: Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science). We aim to build on our top ranking in Research Power for Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science in REF 2014 by seeking to grow the excellence and impact of our research via mentoring, strategic investment in new posts, and stimulating and monitoring impact from an early stage. We plan to recruit 10 new research posts in 2017/18 to build critical mass in areas relevant to building a strong agricultural technology focus (Agri-tech).

The rate of technology driven change is accelerating, with continuing improvements in digital technology, analytical capacity, availability, quantity and quality of data, as well as significant advances in biology and genetics. It will be to improve the supply of skills in these areas that recruitment will be focused. There is a need to generate a virtuous circle of acquiring better, more detailed information, used to develop better tools to analyse and use information, create new products and services, and connect to user groups so as to acquire better information and so on.

In Scotland and the wider UK a key driver for agriculture, in addition to changes in agricultural support after Brexit, is the application of technology that will support a step change increase in agricultural efficiency and productivity. Scotland could become a clear leader in such technology providing opportunities for the application of “Agri-tech” solutions worldwide. SRUC has ambitions to be at the centre of this “Agri-Tech“ revolution.

Grand challenges in Agri-food include solving global health problems, addressing climate change, improving primary productivity, and achieving true sustainability, while at the same time addressing improving living standards and the quality of life, protecting the environment, providing new economic opportunities, reducing waste, addressing safety concerns, providing consumer choice, improving secondary processing; promoting a vibrant rural economy. Key technologies could, if harnessed in a thoughtful connected way, help achieve the grand challenges. These are: plant and animal genomics and related technologies; human, animal and soil microbiota; digital technologies; new technologies for food processing; and transformation in the food value chain system. These need to be connected to:

26

social and cultural factors including healthy living and lifestyles, consumer preference and choice; increasing affluence as well as environmental sciences addressing sustainable intensification; achieving carbon neutrality; and tackling climate change. Such technologies will generate and use vast quantities of data. Data storage, use and acquisition will be key to achieving the step changes required. Infrastructures will need to be created, but they will only achieve results if information and data are shared; the culture will need to change in a similar way to the change achieved by the advent of social media in the first decade of the 21st century.

The development of a smart farming ecosystem, which is both complex and interactive will have a range of players both in public and private sectors, and requires effective partnering and collaboration to fully understand the complexity of the landscape and how to integrate new knowledge and data. In addition end user acceptance will be required; it will not be enough to assume it will be adopted without question. Therefore work from the social sciences, integrating with science and technology push to help demand led pull will be required. The social sciences will have a key role to play by being integrated into design, development and implementation of new technologies to achieve new industry and societal needs.

In Scotland substantial public investment (£48 million) is made by the Scottish Government and provides a portfolio of strategic rural affairs food and environmental science research; one of the largest funders of agri-environmental research in UK. Most of this research is carried out through a number of research institutes and Higher Education Institutions - SRUC, James Hutton Institute, Moredun Institute, Rowett Research Institute (Aberdeen University) together with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. This research commission differs from universities in being both directed by government and long-term. These attributes are considered important by the Scottish Government to enable them to respond to the complex challenges facing them. Scottish Government funding of science at these organisations forms an important part of Scotland's science base, enhancing Scotland's reputation for excellence and relevance in rural, agricultural and environmental research.

Agricultural and veterinary research is also supported by the Scottish Funding Council through the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and SRUC. These institutions are major stakeholders and contributors to agriculturally related research and education. It is important that they are fully engaged with the formulation of the suggested revised strategy. In particular it will be important to ensure deeper collaboration between the universities and institutions such as SRUC to facilitate a coherent approach to address the challenges outlined here.

SRUC currently (2016/17) has 100 Postgraduate research students, an increase from 63 in AY 2011/12. In partnership with the University of Edinburgh and other universities we aim to increase enrolments by 100% over the period 2014 to 2020 and increase enrolments of Postgraduate Taught students by 35% over the same time period. Targets for Postgraduate students are noted in the Annex.

SAC was unique in the UK in combining research, education and consulting services, based on the US land grant university model. SRUC retains these elements, while further strengthening our range of education and training provision. While many HEIs aspire to research-led teaching, we believe that as a SSI with an applied research focus, we should develop research-informed teaching in both FE and HE. Mechanisms for this will be further developed in AY 2017/18 and beyond.

27

SRUC is fully committed to the principles of the Research Integrity Concordat. In order to ensure that these commitments are embedded into our research culture and actively acted upon at SRUC, we maintain an integrated management system where all our research processes and procedures are written down, regularly reviewed and periodically audited. As such we have Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place for all aspects of the five commitments above. These are regularly internally audited and also subject to periodic independent external audit by the British Standards Institute as part of our fully certified ISO9001/2008 approved Quality Assurance system (certificate number BS 94274). Our QA standards were updated to the new standard ISO9001/2015 in 2016. This has provided further opportunity to monitor our systems to ensure full compliance to the principles of the Research Integrity Concordat.

SRUC has an Equality and Diversity Business Partner as part of the HR team. Our policies recognise the value and contribution of every individual and seek to enable them to achieve their full potential and aspirations without suffering discrimination of any kind. Our policy helps meet our obligations within the Equality Act 2010 and through the Public Sector equality Duty. SRUC has developed a Single Equality Scheme with the express aim of eliminating any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation in relation to the identified protected characteristics, and promoting equality across the organisation and in our interactions with our clients and, students. However, we also have much to contribute and gain by fully participating with the wider HEI community and would fully wish to do so to better aid our positive promotion of equality and diversity values to all our staff.

28

5. Enterprise and Innovation Priority 4 Greater innovation in the economy – a national culture of enterprise and innovation leading to a more productive and sustainable economy.

5.1 Strategic context The application of innovation and promotion of enterprise in the rural and land-based industries is our core uniting objective across SRUC. Tackling the biggest agri-food challenges requires scientific excellence, harnessing complex data and new ways of working, together with engaging with both industry and public partners. These are key to gain relevant knowledge to drive new agricultural services, products and commercial applications. Innovation is vital for success and SRUC’s strategic focus is on delivering impact at the appropriate scale and maximising strategic collaboration opportunities with existing and new partners to increase capacity to tackle major challenges. For example we will support to transition towards a circular bio-economy, leading to more sustainable and economical use of natural resources.

Our key priorities are to deliver a rigorous, stimulating range of education and training at all tertiary levels that will lead in the land based sector, both in primary and secondary production, nationally and internationally ensuring that our students are well prepared and ready to make a significant contribution by being innovative and to sustain, enhance and have impact on their chosen careers. SRUC will undertake research where marketable exploitations are likely, exploiting SRUC’s unique combination of attributes including an applied and translational research programme and associated farm systems research platforms fully engaged with the farming and food industries. SRUC research innovations will be fully exploited through appropriate Knowledge Exchange, exploitation of IP and development of value added services through consulting and education. SRUC will provide a comprehensive service of innovative consultancy in the agricultural and rural sector that has reputation, impact and reach in Scotland, UK and beyond.

An example where SRUC has provided an innovative solution to farm enterprises is our work protecting Scotland from the potentially devastating effects of animal diseases. SRUC Veterinary Services offer technical support to consultancy colleagues and work with researchers on key issues like calf mortality. SRUC’s development of the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) control programme has formed the basis of a Scotland wide eradication scheme and informed development of similar schemes in other countries. Close contact with practice vets and their clients through our veterinary surveillance network means our vets are alert to emerging disease outbreaks or threats.

SRUC vets also inform the work of EPIC, the interdisciplinary research consortium providing epidemiological and economic advice about potential disease emergencies to Scottish Government, thus helping to safeguard Scotland from the potentially devastating impacts of new animal disease incursions.

Our local veterinary staff first identified the previously unrecognised Bleeding Calf Syndrome which, through co-operation with other Scottish agencies, wider UK authorities and industry contacts in Germany, led to the withdrawal of a vaccine successful against BVD but with catastrophic side effects.

Our activities are contributing to the “one-health” agenda, the concept recognising the health of humans, animals and ecosystems are inextricably linked, for example, by helping to minimise the impact of zoonoses (microorganisms that transmit from animals to humans) including E.coli 0157, paratuberculosis, Lyme disease and the problem of anti-microbial resistance.

29

SRUC’s main objectives for enterprise and innovation are to:

· Implement a comprehensive, specific programme of externally focused KTE for the rural and land based industries to multiple audiences (industry; policy; public) with emphasis on promoting innovation, enterprise and impact during 2017/18 in response to SFC, Scottish Government (RESAS), and other funding sources for KTE activities;

· Increase the proportion of funding to the rural industries (especially SME’s) focused on KTE to encourage innovation, enterprise and impact to 25% of the SFC UIF grant during 2017/18;

· Continue to deliver KTE to policy audiences to facilitate the sustainability of the rural industries and the formulation of appropriate Scottish and UK government policy towards the rural and land based industries Funding for these activities will be at 10% of the SFC UIF;

· Prioritise engagement with the public through key events, in particular to a schools audience with a defined schools engagement KTE strategy, with the purpose of delivering a defined relevant programme of KTE from our R&D programme to facilitate (a) awareness of the rural industries and current issues (b) contribute to appropriate curriculum development in schools. Funding for these activities will be maintained at 10% of the SFC UIF;

· To promote opportunities for entrepreneurial training to our students. Our courses already supply business skills required for the rural industries. Therefore many of these are already highly entrepreneurial. However, we use a variety of approaches, to further promote innovation including use of our farm resources (that are run on a commercial basis) demonstrating state of the art activities such as smart farming, selected application of external speakers from industry in courses and in a specific seminar programme for staff and students. Funding these activities will comprise 9% of UIF funding from SFC;

· Support our research, education and consulting staff to delivering a comprehensive programme of KTE, by (a) encouraging them to apply for specific KTE projects relevant to their specialist R&D outputs focused on key audience groupings (Industry; policy; public) (b) providing training on the most effective ways to deliver KTE activities and to systematically evaluate such activities (c) to provide support for KTE through appropriate communications, media, web based resources and support staff. The combined funding for such activities will be maintained at 30% of total KTE funding from SFC and SG RESAS and other funding sources;

· Complete the Higher Education and Business Community Interaction Survey (HEBCI) during AY 2017/18. The activities and targets above will be reflected in the metrics submitted, such that the total consulting activity to our many SME (farmer and land based industry clients) will be recorded, with the aim of at least maintaining consulting income to £12m and number of clients to 11,000. In addition we will aim to increase income from Innovate UK (TSB) during 2017/18 to 6% of total income (from 5% in 2016/17).

· To undertake a systematic sampled evaluation of selected KTE projects and activities, with the purpose of assessing effectiveness, impact and reach. Such evaluation will be used to feedback in training days to those delivering KTE with the aim of achieving continuous improvement in KTE methodology and hence effectiveness and impact to key audience groupings (industry, public, policy).

· To fully collaborate with the HEI community in Scotland to (i) promote staff expertise and training in enterprise and innovation; (ii) to fully engage with promoting common approaches to engage with the SME base in Scotland e.g.

30

common contracts; (iii) fully engage with relevant industry groupings (e.g. Scotland Food and Drink) to promote specific innovative ventures; (iv) fully participate in refocus of the innovation support system in Scotland

5.2 Overview Knowledge transfer and exchange are the core, uniting competences central to achieving the SRUC Mission - committed to excellence and impact in the advancement, communication and translation of knowledge throughout the rural sector. In general terms the KTE strategic objectives and actions are designed to contribute to the aims of the SRUC Strategic Plan 2013-18.

In addition, SRUC aims to contribute to many outcomes as described in the Scottish Government’s National Performance Framework and SRUC’s Strategic Plan 2013-18.

In summary the key strategic actions for 2017/18 include:

· Implementing the SRUC KTE strategy for 2017/18 in response to the Scottish Government, SFC and other key stakeholder priorities for KTE activities; with a key emphasis on promoting innovation and enterprise for the rural industries.

· Increased cross-Divisional activities led by the SRUC UIF Co-ordination Group and their linkages with the SRUC functional divisions (Education, Research and Consulting) to ensure that increased synergies lead to the best quality KTE activities from SRUC;

· Delivering prescribed outcomes for SFC including growing the multi-audience (policy makers, rural and land-based industries, public, and commercial) through our comprehensive KTE programme, fully supporting and helping to deliver the Scotland Can Do agenda and other key Government, SFC and Universities Scotland policies;

· Managing the delivery of KTE activities from our RESAS Research Programme in line with their KTE strategy 2016-21;

· Managing the delivery of KTE activities from our SFC UIF funding to fully address national priorities identified by Universities Scotland 5-point Action Plan.

· Applying KTE activities to secure economic, social and environmental benefits for stakeholders in accord with our Strategic Plan 2013-18; and

· Responding to the evolving reporting and policy requirements for the SFC and RESAS and securing new funding opportunities in KTE.

5.3 Key Changes in KTE Delivery and Management In 2017/18 a series of co-ordinated KTE activities and events will continue to be scheduled aimed at target audiences especially from industry, commerce, policy and the public (including Schools). The main drivers of change for the programme are: (i) revised Scottish Government, SFC policies and funding via the Universities Innovation Fund (ii) Priorities from Universities Scotland 5 point Action Plan (iii) the requirements of the new RESAS research programme (2016-2021); (iv) Continuing Innovate UK opportunities (via the Agri-Tech Strategy), especially full establishment of the Agritech Innovation Centres, various key funders’ strategic plans e.g. the UK Research Councils, which emphasise KTE to underpin innovation in UK industry; (v) the Global Challenges Research Fund that strengthens not only research capability but also innovation within the UK and in developing countries and (v) Continued participation in the EU Horizon 2020 programme, despite “Brexit”, that continues to emphasise innovation and excellent KTE.

31

Delivery of the plan is presented in two main sections containing a) External and b) Internal audience KTE programmes.

This KTE platform funded from the UIF runs in parallel with the delivery and management of KTE associated with the RESAS research programme (2016-2021).

5.4 BIS/Innovate UK Agri-Tech Strategy SRUC will support KTE activities associated with current and new projects won from UK Agri-Tech initiatives.

We have a growing portfolio of individual Agri-Tech projects, and are partners in three of the four successful bids for Agri-Tech Innovation Centres, all are now established as limited companies i.e. the Centre for Agri-Informatics and Metrics of Sustainability, Agrimetrics Ltd, a centre for Precision Agriculture Innovation and Engineering (Agri-Epi Ltd) and the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL Ltd). These Innovation centres are in collaboration with our key industry partners as well as University partners across the UK.

5.5 SRUC Co-ordination of Research, Knowledge Exchange and Innovation SRUC Combines project support and knowledge exchange services to foster innovation, business growth and institutional reputation. KE is co-ordinated across SRUC by a newly appointed KE Director (Professor Dave Roberts). Support for SRUC KE activities is through the Contracts Office. The SRUC Communications Team provides core communication and outreach competencies central to achieving the SRUC Mission. These offices’ strategic objectives and actions together with the role of the KE Director are designed to contribute to the aims of the SRUC Corporate Strategic Plan 2013-18 and the Research, Consulting and Education Divisions strategic business plans.

5.6 Engagement with SMEs and Innovation Vouchers Engagement with SMEs is a clear priority for SRUC – SAC Consulting to approximately 18,000 farmer and rural SME industry clients generates approximately £20m income per annum for SRUC and the majority of this work involves engagement with SMEs or smaller owner businesses. As such SRUC has strong direct engagement with the rural and land based industries from owner businesses, SME’s and larger industry. Given our focus we undertake less business outside of our target industries, most of which focuses on the secondary food and drink sector. We therefore actively engage with Interface to respond to all opportunities provided by them. This activity is slowly increasing and in 2015/16 we received 10 innovation vouchers (worth £4,335 each) compared to 2 in AY 2013/14, mostly for the food and drink sector. Targets for Innovations vouchers are noted in the Annex.

5.7 The Higher Education and Business Community Interaction Survey As noted above we complete annually the Higher Education and Business Community Interaction Survey (HEBCI) and will do so for AY 2017/18.

32

6. High-performing Institutions Priority 5 High-performing institutions – a coherent system of high-performing, sustainable institutions with modern, transparent and accountable governance arrangements.

SRUC complies with the provisions of the Scottish Code of Good HE Governance. We have instructed our solicitors to provide advice to us on the changes which will require to be made to our Articles of Association in order to ensure compliance with the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016.

The SRUC Board has a membership of 14, including executive and non-executive members. It is assumed that four members are female (assumed as the data has not been collected). SRUC is committed to achieve a 50:50 ratio by 2020 in line with the Scottish Government’s Partnership for Change, working towards removing barriers and encouraging applications from protected characteristic groups, especially women.

SRUC has a staff engagement area on its intranet which includes a range of staff development modules, some of which are compulsory for all staff. These compulsory / compliance modules include health and safety, data protection, diversity, safeguarding and bribery. In addition there is a range of management development modules and an induction module for new staff.

The key remit of the SRUC Equality, Human Rights and Inclusion Committee is to foster an inclusive working and learning environment in which all employees and learners can fulfil their full potential. The aim of the Committee is to:

· Determine strategic direction and priorities; · Agree the Equality and Diversity action plans to deliver the legislative

requirements; · Monitor and evaluate the action plan progress made by each Division; · Oversee to ensure SRUC’s compliance with equality, diversity and human rights

legislation; · Horizon scan from a broad range of relevant information for emerging issues and

trends to develop SRUC’s future capability; and · Provide quarterly Equality and Diversity progress reports to the Executive

Management Team and the SRUC Board.

This will enable SRUC to meet legal duties and responsibilities in relation to equality, diversity and human rights and to strive to achieve best practice. The membership of the Committee comes from across the SRUC community including nominated representatives from each Division, SRUCSA, Trade Unions, student experience and human resources.

In late 2015, the SRUC Board agreed a proposal which resulted in the approval of the SRUC Academic Board having a direct reporting line to the Board and an increased membership to include Research Group Managers. This was both to strengthen the role of the Academic Board and to ensure that it became the forum for academic dialogue and strategy. Following agreement at the newly constituted Academic Board meeting, Academic Governance has been further developed during 2016 with a renewed Academic Governance structure being implemented from January 2017. The new Academic Governance structure streamlines the committee structure and integrates Education and Research to encourage and support closer working. This will be embedded during academic year 2017/18

The SRUC Board approved Infrastructure Strategy from October 2014 identified actions to be undertaken to deliver a fit for purpose, sustainable estate. The strategy proposed a regional delivery requiring investment and included the identification of surplus assets, to be disposed of. It was informed by a business strategy that is currently being reviewed, and

33

therefore the investment strategy for estates will be re-visited once the business strategy is confirmed. The current property strategy is therefore a short term holding strategy, minimising expenditure, increasing utilisation of space, and retaining future flexibility. In the meantime the disposal of the surplus assets has continued, resulting in a more efficient estate, while still supporting SRUC. The farm at Elmwood is an example, which became surplus pre-merger, and has now been disposed of. This resulted in the release of approximately 4,000 m2 of buildings, 91 hectares of land, and saved approximately £40k pa of property operating costs, including approximately £13k of utility costs.

SRUC’s Education Division works with a wide range of commercial partners. These strong industry links are mutually beneficial to both partners and importantly allow our students to have access to the latest technologies, equipment and resources. A number of our programmes are co-designed in partnership with relevant key stakeholders, both for the national and international market. Because of our national remit, SRUC, through a strong regional presence, will aim to support key land-based industry sectors along with rural communities across Scotland. We will continue to build strong regional partnerships which increase learning opportunities for those wishing to study programmes in the land-based sector. SRUC will work with the Scottish Government and the newly appointed Agriculture Champions in supporting the development of an Agricultural Strategy to guide the long term sustainable future of Scottish farming. One key area of activity within this project is considering the future education and training needs within the agricultural sector.

SRUC continues to win research funding in collaboration with other academic partners to strengthen and broaden our interdisciplinary approach. Increasingly we are engaged with a mix of public and private institutions (eg. see reference to Agri-tech Strategy above) to deliver impact focused ‘trans-disciplinary’ research projects. Typical amongst these is the ‘Paraban’ project, which helped farmers to reduce the prevalence of an intractable, debilitating and potentially zoonotic (transmissible to humans) disease of cattle (Johne’s disease) by 65%. All of these collaborations enable SRUC to share resources with collaborators for mutual benefit. In addition SRUC is collaborating with the University of Edinburgh’s Global Academy in Agriculture and Food Security. This will enable the two institutions to develop a closely aligned programme of UG and PG programmes and associated research activities, using their combined resources. This will build on the current successful programmes of PGT and PGR education validated by the University and jointly resourced. SRUC also continues to build on existing and develop new collaborative ventures. For example, SRUC is applying for funding under the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures to increase access to our world leading Farm Systems Research Platforms from similar institutions across Europe. This will help to maintain our broad coverage of farm systems types, which requires diverse environments and hence wide geographic distribution with attendant resourcing challenges. These dispersed facilities support their local communities and provide convenient and attractive KE/learning opportunities for a range of stakeholders as well as first hand exposure to relevant research capabilities.

SRUC has commissioned Biggar Economics to report on the economic impacts generated by its activities. This report, which will be finalised in spring 2017, considered the full range of activity undertaken by the SRUC and included both quantifiable and wider, unquantifiable impacts, focusing on Gross Value Added and employment.

SRUC’s Carbon Management Plan (CMP) was published in March 2016, and identified performance and future actions to deliver the 40% carbon reduction by financial year 2019/20, based on 2014/15 as the reference year. The CMP was informed by the Infrastructure Strategy, and will be revisited and updated showing progress against actions in due course, at which point further details will be available on carbon management. The

34

baseline figure for 2014/15 was 9,668t CO2e with an estimate for 2016/17 of 7,750t CO2e and milestones resulting in an aspiration of 5,800t CO2e by 2019/20.

SRUC is committed to obtaining value for money in all of its transactions, and in conducting its daily business, staff must always consider SRUC’s wider responsibilities in terms of its legal, moral, social, economic and environmental impact. Effective procurement will support the key institutional objectives across the important operational dimensions which are set out in SRUC’s Strategic Plan

Procurement has a significant role to play in supporting SRUC’s Strategic Plan. The Procurement function utilises the Scottish Government’s Procurement Journey to plan and manage procurement activities. Driven by value for money, this will help SRUC achieve, amongst other benefits, delivery of a strategically focused infrastructure programme to improve quality of staff and student accommodation and facilities, and to facilitate regional delivery.

The aim is to promote the delivery of value for money through good procurement practice and optimal use of procurement collaboration opportunities. In addition, SRUC aims to embed sound ethical, social, sustainable and environmental policies within SRUC’s procurement function and to comply with relevant Scottish, UK and EC legislation in performance of the sustainable procurement duty.

35

APPENDIX 1: Targets for SAC Consulting Services

SAC Consulting Targets Targets for 2017/18

SAC Consulting Solutions

· Prepare and agree group financial targets for 2017/18 · Thereafter deliver on-budget Group contribution to SRUC.

Meet Financial targets

· Maintain a high level of customer focus, · Utilise the 2015/16 customer satisfaction survey to develop

services (new and existing) that meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.

· Refresh and modernise the subscriber offering in part through the implementation of the subscriber web portal.

· Complete the implementation of and embed the regular use of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.

Meet Customer targets

· Improve efficiency of all management systems through critical analysis (LEAN) and then implementing efficiency enhancing changes.

· Finalise and implement career pathing initiative, to achieve increases in the levels of individual performance and improve staff retention.

· Complete the development of and commence the implementation of the Graduate Recruitment (+ associated training) programme.

Meet Staff targets

· Deliver all of the agreed business plan targets for the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) in 2017/18.

· Prepare and get agreement on the 2018/19 FAS business plan for delivery in the following financial year.

Meet FAS targets

SAC Veterinary Services

· Deliver on budget Group surplus by increasing income and improving efficiency.

Meet target

· Remain a top UK veterinary and analytical laboratory testing facility that provides customers with solutions based on practical and innovative laboratory based products and services.

· Maintain a high level of customer focus, · Improve efficiency of all management systems through critical

analysis (LEAN) and then implementing efficiency enhancing changes.

Meet targets

· Deliver a first class Disease Surveillance Programme for our stakeholders, including the Scottish Government.

Meet targets

(* denotes priority measure)2014-15 baseline

2017-18 milestone

2018-19 milestone

2019-20 aspiration

*The volume of Credits delivered (core) 19,446 23,550 24,070 24,580info. Core Credits target (college) See Note 1 22,867 23,367 23,867info. % towards core Credits target (college) See Note 1 103% 103% 103%The volume of Credits delivered (ESF) 430 ESF now via HEThe volume of Credits delivered (core + ESF) 19,876 23,550 24,070 24,580info. The volume of wSUMs delivered 37,064

info. % towards core wSUMs target 108.8%

Volume of Credits delivered to learners aged 16-19 12,088 14,601 14,442 14,256Proportion of Credits delivered to learners aged 16-19 62.2% 62.0% 60.0% 58.0%Volume of Credits delivered to learners aged 20-24 3,241 4,569 5,295 5,899 Proportion of Credits delivered to learners aged 20-24 16.7% 19.4% 22.0% 24.0%info. Volume of Credits delivered to full-time learners 11,665 14,000 14,500 15,000Volume of Credits delivered to full-time learners aged 16-19 8,110 9,800 9,860 9,900Proportion of Credits delivered to full-time learners aged 16-19 69.5% 70.0% 68.0% 66.0%Volume of Credits delivered to full-time learners aged 20-24 1,902 1,999 2,071 2,178 Proportion of Credits delivered to full-time learners aged 20-24 16.3% 20.4% 21.0% 22.0%

*Volume of Credits delivered to learners in the most deprived 10% postcode areas 1,305 1,649 1,733 1,844 Proportion of Credits delivered to learners in the most deprived 10% postcode areas 6.7% 7.0% 7.2% 7.5%

Gender

Volume of Credits delivered to Male learners 12,757 12,953 13,239 13,519 Proportion of Credits delivered to Male learners 65.6% 55.0% 55.0% 55.0% Volume of Credits delivered to Female learners 6,689 10,598 10,832 11,061 Proportion of Credits delivered to Female learners 34.4% 45.0% 45.0% 45.0% Volume of Credits delivered to Other learners 0 0 0 0 Proportion of Credits delivered to Other learners 0.00% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Ethnicity

Volume of Credits delivered to BME learners 90 141 168 197 Proportion of Credits delivered to BME learners 0.5% 0.6% 0.7% 0.8%Disability

Volume of Credits delivered to students with a known disability 5,337 6,123 6,258 6,391 Proportion of Credits delivered to students with a known disability 27.4% 26.0% 26.0% 26.0%Care Experience

Volume of Credits delivered to students with Care Experience 0 94 120 147 Proportion of Credits delivered to students with Care Experience 0.00% 0.4% 0.5% 0.6%

*2 40 45 50

Volume of Credits delivered to senior phase age pupils studying vocational qualifications delivered by colleges 32 400 433 492Proportion of Credits delivered to senior phase age pupils studying vocational qualifications delivered by colleges 0.2% 1.7% 1.8% 2.0%

The volume of Credits delivered to learners at S3 and above as part of 'school-college' provision 672 1,625 1,685 1,745 The proportion of Credits delivered to learners at S3 and above as part of 'school-college' provision 3.5% 6.9% 7.0% 7.1%

Volume of Credits delivered at HE level See Note 2

Volume of Credits delivered at HE level to learners from SHEP schools See Note 2

2(d) Volume and proportion of Credits delivered at HE level to learners from SHEP schools (i.e. Secondary schools with i l l f i hi h d i )

2(a)* Number of senior phase pupils studying vocational qualifications delivered by colleges

2(c) Volume and proportion of Credits delivered to learners at S3 and above as part of 'school-college' provision

2(b) Volume and proportion of Credits delivered to senior phase age pupils studying vocational qualifications delivered by colleges

Annex: SRUC summary of baselines, milestones and targets (FE)

1(a)* The volume of Credits delivered

1(b) Volume and proportion of Credits delivered to learners aged 16-19 and 20-24

1(c)* Volume and proportion of Credits delivered to learners in the most deprived 10% postcode areas

1(d) The volume and proportion of Credits relating to learners from different protected characteristic groups and care leavers

Priority 1: Widening access – learning that is accessible and diverse, attracting and providing more equal opportunities for people of all ages, and from all communities and backgrounds

2014-15 baseline

2017-18 milestone

2018-19 milestone

2019-20 aspiration

Proportion of Credits delivered at HE level to learners from SHEP schools See Note 2

Volume of Credits delivered to learners enrolled on STEM courses 60 118 168 246Proporiton of Credits delivered to learners enrolled on STEM courses 0.3% 0.5% 0.7% 1.0%

*Number of FT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 489 594.0 616.4 639.2Total number of FT FE enrolled students 739 900 920 940Percentage of FT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 66.2% 66.0% 67.0% 68.0%Number of PT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 3,563 3,520 3,520 3,520Total number of PT FE enrolled students 4,046 4,000 4,000 4,000Percentage of PT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 88.1% 88.0% 88.0% 88.0%Number of FT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 0

Total number of FT HE enrolled students 0

Percentage of FT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification -

Number of PT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 0

Total number of PT HE enrolled students 0

Percentage of PT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification -

*Number of MD10 FT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 38 43 46 49Total number of MD10 FT FE enrolled students 59 65 68 72Percentage of MD10 FT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 64.4% 66.0% 67.0% 68.0%Number of MD10 PT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 243 246 251 255Total number of MD10 PT FE enrolled students 272 280 285 290Percentage of MD10 PT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 89.3% 88.0% 88.0% 88.0%Number of MD10 FT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 0

Total number of MD10 FT HE enrolled students 0

Percentage of MD10 FT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification -

Number of MD10 PT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 0

Total number of MD10 PT HE enrolled students 0

Percentage of MD10 PT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification -

*Number of Senior Phase FT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 1 2 2 3Total number of Senior Phase FT FE enrolled students 2 3 4 5Percentage of Senior Phase FT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 50.0% 55.0% 57.0% 60.0%Number of Senior Phase PT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 0 34 38 42Total number of Senior Phase PT FE enrolled students 0 60 65 70Percentage of Senior Phase PT FE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification - 56.0% 58.0% 60.0%Number of Senior Phase FT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 0

Total number of Senior Phase FT HE enrolled students 0

Percentage of Senior Phase FT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification -

Number of Senior Phase PT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification 0

Total number of Senior Phase PT HE enrolled students 0

Percentage of Senior Phase PT HE enrolled students achieving a recognised qualification -

202 150 160 180

*Total number of students who have achieved HNC or HND qualifications progressing to degree level courses 74 80 85 90

Number of succesful students who have achieved HNC or HND qualifications articulating to degree level courses with advanced standing 32 40 44 50

7.* Number and proportion of succesful students who have achieved HNC or HND qualifications articulating to degree level courses with advanced standing

5. Number of starts for direct contracted apprenticeships (including industry bodies such as CITB and SECTT)

3. Volume and proportion of Credits delivered to learners enrolled on STEM courses

4(a)* Proportion of enrolled students successfully achieving a recognised qualification

4(b)* Proportion of enrolled MD10 students successfully achieving a recognised qualification

4(c)* Proportion of senior phase age pupils successfully completing a vocational qualification delivered by colleges

Priority 2: High quality learning and teaching – an outstanding system of learning that is accessible and diverse where students progress successfully with the ability, ideas and ambition to make a difference

2014-15 baseline

2017-18 milestone

2018-19 milestone

2019-20 aspiration

The proportion of succesful students who have achieved HNC or HND qualifications articulating to degree level courses with advanced standing 43.2% 50.0% 52.0% 55.0%

1,249 1300 1500 2000

*Total number of full-time FE college qualifiers (confirmed destinations) 472 480 500 520

Number of full-time FE college qualifiers in work, training and/or further study 3-6 months after qualifying 445 455 477 498The proportion of full-time FE college qualifiers in work, training and/or further study 3-6 months after qualifying 94.3% 94.8% 95.3% 95.8%Total number of full-time HE college qualifiers (confirmed destinations) 0

Number of full-time HE college qualifiers in work, training and/or further study 3-6 months after qualifying 0 p p g q g y months after qualifying -

See Note 5 85% 86% 87%

Tonnes CO2e 9,668 7,270 6,680 5,80010 Gross carbon footprint

6. Number of full-time learners with substantial 'work placement experience' as part of their programme of study

Priority 4: Greater innovation in the economy – a national culture of enterprise and innovation leading to a more productive and sustainable economy

Priority 5: High-performing institutions – a coherent system of high-performing, sustainable institutions with modern, transparent and accountable governance arrangements

8.* Number and proportion of full-time college qualifiers in work, training and/or further study 3-6 months after qualifying

9. Percentage of students overall, satisfied with their college experience (SSES survey)

(* denotes priority measure)2014-15 baseline

2016-17 estimate

2017-18 milestone

2018-19 milestone

2019-20 aspiration

Scotland-domiciled HN entrants from college to UG programmes 61 67 70 70 70 * Scotland-domiciled HN entrants from college to UG programmes with advanced standing 53 59 62 62 62 * Proportion of Scotland-domiciled HN entrants articulating with Advanced Standing 86.9% 88.1% 88.6% 88.6% 88.6% * Scotland-domiciled HN entrants from college to UG programmes (including within SRUC) 184 268 250 255 260 Note 1 SRUC measure

Scotland-domiciled HN entrants from college to UG programmes with advanced standing (including within SRUC) 161 236 220 225 229Proportion of Scotland-domiciled HN entrants articulating with Advanced Standing (including within SRUC) 87.5% 88.1% 88.0% 88.0% 88.0%

Total number of SDUEs with known postcode 890 754 800 850 880 * 2a: SDUEs from 20% most deprived postcodes 102 95 105 116 126 * 2b: SDUEs from 40% most deprived postcodes 242 212 228 246 2602a: Proportion of SDUEs from 20% most deprived postcodes 11.5% 12.6% 13.1% 13.6% 14.3% * 2b: Proportion of SDUEs from 40% most deprived postcodes 27.2% 28.1% 28.5% 29.0% 29.5%

Total SDUEs 892 754 800 850 870 Note 2Number of SDUEs from SHEP schools 7 23 26 28 30Proportion of SDUE from SHEP Schools 0.8% 3.1% 3.2% 3.3% 3.4%

Gender Number of Male SDUEs 438 351 377 405 435 Number of Female SDUEs 454 401 421 442 452 Number of Other SDUEs 0 2 2 3 4 Male Proportion 49.1% 46.6% 47.1 47.6 48.1 Female Proportion 50.9% 53.2% 52.6% 52.0% 51.4% Other Proportion 0.0% 0.3% 0.3% 0.4% 0.5%Age Number of Under 21 SDUEs 558 441 466 492 507 Number of 21 and over SDUEs 334 313 334 358 373 Under 21 Proportion 62.6% 58.5% 58.2% 57.9% 57.6% 21 and over Proportion 37.4% 41.5% 41.8 42.1 42.4Ethnicity Number of White SDUEs 857 736 775 822 839 Number of BME SDUEs 19 18 20 22 24 Number of Other 16 0 5 6 7 Proportion - White 96.1% 97.6% 96.8% 96.7% 96.4% Proportion - BME 2.1% 2.4% 2.5% 2.6% 2.7% Proportion - Other 1.8% 0.0% 0.6% 0.7% 0.8%Disability Number - No Known Disability 771 573 608 646 661 Number - Disability 121 181 192 204 209 Number - Not known/refused 0 0 0 0 0 Proportion - No Known Disability 86.4% 76.0% 76.0% 76.0% 76.0% Proportion - Disability 13.6% 24.0% 24.0% 24.0% 24.0% Proportion - Not known/refused 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%Care Leavers Number - Care Leaver 1 5 6 8 9 * Number - Not a Care Leaver 891 748 794 842 861 Proportion - Care Leaver 0.1% 0.6% 0.53 0.56 0.6 *

Annex: SRUC summary of baselines, milestones and targets (HE)

Measure 1: Articulation - The number and proportion of Scotland-domiciled learners articulating from college to degree level courses with advanced standing

Measure 2: Deprivation - The number and proportion of Scotland-domiciled undergraduate entrants from the 20% and 40% most deprived postcodes

Measure 3: SHEP Schools - The number and proportion of Scotland-domiciled undergraduate entrants from the SHEP schools (i.e. schools with consistently low rates of progression to higher education)

Measure 4: Protected Characteristics - The number and proportion of Scotland-domiciled undergraduate entrants by different protected characteristic groups and care leavers

Priority 1: Widening access – learning that is accessible and diverse, attracting and providing more equal opportunities for people of all ages, and from all communities and backgrounds

2014-15 baseline

2016-17 estimate

2017-18 milestone

2018-19 milestone

2019-20 aspiration

Deprivation MD20 full-time first year SDUE 88 106 112 118 124 * MD20 full-time first year SDUE Retained 71 87 92 98 103 * Proportion MD20 retained 80.7% 82.0% 82.5% 83.0% 83.5% * MD20/40 full-time first year SDUE 216 261 275 290 300 MD20/40 full-time first year SDUE Retained 176 216 229 243 253 Proportion MD20/40 retained 81.5% 82.8% 83.3% 83.8% 84.3%Gender Male entrants 421 403 351 377 405 Males Retained 353 334 294 315 339 Proportion of Males retained 83.8% 83.0% 83.3% 83.5% 83.7% Female entrants 414 455 401 421 442 Females Retained 362 398 352 370 390 Proportion of Females retained 87.4% 87.5% 87.8% 88.0% 88.2% Age Under 21 Entrants 550 527 441 466 492 Under 21s Retained 481 461 387 410 434 Proportion of Under 21s retained 87.5% 87.5% 87.8% 88.0% 88.2% 21 and over Entrants 286 331 313 334 358 21 and over Retained 235 271 258 276 296 Proportion of 21 and over retained 82.2% 82.0% 82.3% 82.5% 82.8% Ethnicity Entrants - White 821 836 736 780 828 White - Retained 703 715 631 671 714 Proportion retained - white 85.6% 85.5% 85.7% 86.0% 86.2% Entrants - BME 7 16 18 20 22 BME - Retained 5 12 14 15 17 Proportion retained - BME 71.4% 75.0% 76.0% 77.0% 78.0% Entrants - Ethnicity not known 8 5 0 0 0 Not known/refused - Retained 0 0 0 0 0 Proportion retained - Ethnicity not known 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%Disability Entrants - No Known Disability 723 722 573 608 646 No Known Disability - Retained 617 614 488 520 554 Proportion retained - No Known Disability 85.3% 85.0% 85.2% 85.5% 85.7% Entrants - Disability 113 136 181 192 204 Disability - Retained 99 118 158 168 179 Proportion retained - Disability 87.6% 87.0% 87.3% 87.5% 87.7% Entrants - Not known/refused 0 0 0 0 0 Not known/refused - Retained 0 0 0 0 0 Proportion retained - not known/refused Care Leavers Entrants - Care Leavers 2 4 6 6 8 * Care Leavers Retained 2 3 5 5 6 * Proportion retained - Care Leavers 100.0% 75.0% 76.0% 77.0% 78.0% *

Measure 5: Retention by Protected Characteristics - The number and proportion of full-time first year Scotland-domiciled entrants from different characteristic groups returning to study in year two

2014-15 baseline

2016-17 estimate

2017-18 milestone

2018-19 milestone

2019-20 aspiration

Total number of full-time first year SDUE 836 858 754 798 847Number of full-time first year SDUE retained 716 732 646 685 729Proportion retained 85.6% 85.3% 85.7% 85.8% 86.0%

Note 3

% Satisfaction 81 76 80 82 84 * Proportion of SDUE to STEM courses 73.7% 80.0% 82% 83% 84%Number of SDUEs to STEM courses 657 603 656 705 740

Eligible population 437 480 480 490 500Proportion of graduates in positive destinations 93.1% 93% 93% 93.5% 93.5%Number of graduates in positive destinations 407 446 446 458 468

Eligible population 43,700.0% Note 4Proportion of graduates in professional occupations 8.0%Number of graduates in professional occupations 35

RPG students 94 120 138 149 180

RCUK income £1,109k £1,350k £1,500 £1,600 £2,000

Research income £16,298k £15,500 £16,000 £17,500 £19,000

Innovation Vouchers (IVs) 10 15 18 20 25 Follow-on IVs 0 1 1 2 3 H2020 0 0 0 0 0

Tonnes CO2e 9,668 7,750 7,270 6,680 5,800 *

Note 1 - SRUC measure. This includes all HN entrants, both from other institutions and from within SRUC.

Note 2 - the increase is believed to be the result of improved data quality resulting from manual identification of SHEP schools

Note 4 - graduate destinations, professional occupations. This measure is not appropriate for SRUC as the results are misleading and misrepresent the true situation. This is mainly related to technical definitions in relation to 'professional occupations' in the land-based sector.

Note 3 - satisfaction. As a small specialist institution the NSS results are based on a limited population and there will tend to be variation year on year.

Measure 15: Carbon - Gross carbon footprint (3-year period)

Measure 9b: Graduate Destinations - The number and proportion of Scotland-domiciled graduates entering professional occupations

Measure 14: UIF - Individual HEI UIF progress measures and sector wide reportingFor 2017-18 institutions are asked to provide a narrative on progress with their contribution to University Innovation Fund priority outcomes (these will be identified during consultation with the sector during the latter part of 2016 and signed off by the SFC's Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee by January 2017)Priority 5: High-performing institutions – a coherent system of high-performing, sustainable institutions with modern, transparent and accountable governance arrangements

Priority 3: World-leading research – world-leading universities, nationally and internationally connected with a global reputation for their research Measure 10: The number of research postgraduate students

Measure 11: Total income from the UK Research Councils

Priority 4: Greater innovation in the economy – a national culture of enterprise and innovation leading to a more productive and sustainable economyMeasure 13: IVs - The number of SFC innovation Vouchers (IVs), Follow-on IVs and H2020 IVs

Measure 12: Total research income from all sources

Measure 9a: Graduate Destinations - The number and proportion of Scotland-domiciled graduates entering positive destinations

Priority 2: High quality learning and teaching – an outstanding system of learning that is accessible and diverse where students progress successfully with the ability, ideas and ambition to make a difference Measure 6: Retention - The number and proportion of full-time first year Scotland-domiciled undergraduate entrants returning to study in year two

Measure 7: Satisfaction - The difference (+/-) from the individual institution's benchmark figure for students satisfied with the overall quality of their course of study in the National Student Survey

Measure 8: STEM - The number and proportion of Scotland-domiciled undergraduate entrants to STEM courses