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SCOTLAND: a great place to liveScotland is a multicultural society of just over 5 million people. It is part of the United Kingdom along with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scotland is a vibrant and beautiful place. It is a small country with a great diversity of landscapes and cultures embracing both cosmopolitan city living and rugged unspoilt countryside. Because of this Scotland is a major tourist destination and every year people come to sample the beautiful scenery and enjoy the rich culture.
People also come to study, live and work in Scotland...... from China, Japan, India, Pakistan, Europe, North America, Africa, Australia..... in fact from all over the world.
Scotland retains a distinctive identity within the UK framework with its own unique legal and educational systems. Since 1999 it has had its own Parliament which decides on most issues affecting Scotland.
Further information on Scotland can be found on the following websites: www.scotlandistheplace.com
SCOTLAND: a great place to learn Education is a fundamental part of Scottish culture and Scottish education enjoys a reputation for unsurpassed quality throughout the world.
Scotland has 13 universities and over 40 Further Education Colleges providing learning opportunities at all levels of academic ability and in learning environments ranging from calm rural campuses to bustling city centre locations.
Scotland has its own qualifications system which is administered below degree level by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). The SQA is responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment and certification of qualifications other than degrees and covers the courses students follow as they move through school and into further and higher education.
SQA qualifications are recognised world-wide and increasingly SQA expertise is being sought by countries seeking to reform their own education and qualifications systems. As a result, SQA participates in a number of projects and initiatives funded by the UK Government, the European Commission, the World Bank and other agencies.
Scotland's Credit and Qualifications Framework integrates all qualifications within a single system making it much easier for students to move between courses and institutions and ensuring close links between schools, Colleges and universities. Consequently there are various flexible routes into and through the Scottish education system.
Scotland was one of the first countries in Europe to establish a quality assurance system for its educational institutions. From student support to the quality of the teaching staff, every school and further and higher education teaching establishment is subject to rigorous scrutiny by the government. This offers anyone thinking about studying in Scotland the peace of mind that comes from knowing that the education they receive will live up to their expectations...in every way.
As mentioned earlier Scotland has over 40 Colleges of Further Education. They all provide highly flexible platforms for lifelong learning, catering for both young people and adults and offer academic, vocational and professional qualifications in most subject areas.
Amongst this highly varied curriculum provision, all Colleges offer courses at non-advanced and advanced levels. At non-advanced level the award is known as the SQA National Qualification (NQ) or National Certificate (NC). At advanced level the awards are the SQA Higher National Certificate (HNC) and the Higher National Diploma (HND). These approximate to Year 1 and Year 2 (respectively) of degree level study.
Scottish Colleges have strong academic links with universities with many having formal articulation and progression routes for students. These allow students with HNC or HND qualifications to enter a university degree programme at second or even third year. Colleges also offer foundation or access courses providing the specialist subjects required for a student to gain a place at university.
More than 20,000 overseas students are currently studying at universities and Colleges in Scotland. Scottish Executive policy as stated in the 'Fresh Talent Initiative' is to attract more overseas students to come to Scotland. Quite simply there is no better place than Scotland for international students who want to get world class skills and qualifications that are highly relevant, marketable and sought after by employers worldwide.
Further information on Scottish education can be found on the following websites: www.scotlandistheplace.com |
