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We hope you had a restful Easter break and have stepped into the new term feeling refreshed and ready for what’s ahead.
At CDN, the momentum continues. This month brings a dynamic mix of opportunities, insights, and sector-wide collaboration — from new leadership masterclasses and national campaigns, to fresh thinking on research, inclusion, and professional development.
There’s a lot happening, and even more to get involved in. Take a moment to explore what’s new, connect with colleagues across the sector, and make the most of what #YourCDN has to offer.
This is #YourCDN.
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CDN Masterclasses for Senior Leaders and Board Members
CDN, in partnership with Colleges Scotland, is offering new masterclasses for college senior leaders and board members focused on strategic risk, governance, and political engagement. Delivered with Pinsent Masons and Zurich Resilience Solutions, the sessions provide practical support on governance, risk, and parliamentary processes.
Discounted rate for booking both sessions: £150 (one) | £250 (both).
Upcoming sessions:
Risk and Governance
14 May 2026 | Stirling
Full-day seminar with Zurich Resilience Solutions focusing on risk, governance, and resilience in the tertiary sector.
Click here to book this session
Preparing for Parliamentary Committees
28 May or 2 June 2026 | Edinburgh
Half-day masterclass with Pinsent Masons supporting senior leaders and board members to give evidence confidently to parliamentary committees.
Choose your date and book -
28 May OR 2 June
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Colleges unite to mark 30 years of Show Racism the Red Card
Colleges across Scotland have come together to support a new national campaign celebrating 30 years of Show Racism the Red Card.
Developed by CDN's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategic Network and led by the Black History Month/Anti-Racism Working Group, the initiative highlights the sector’s shared commitment to tackling racism and promoting inclusion across further education.
A new campaign video brings together contributions from colleges across Scotland, showcasing a collective voice and reflecting the diversity of the sector.
Colleagues are encouraged to watch the video and engage with CDN’s Strategic Networks to support continued collaboration and progress.
#CollegesAgainstRacism #SRtRC
Watch the campaign video here.
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Apply for #YourCDN Leadership Programmes
Applications are now open for the 2026/27 CDN Leadership Programmes, designed to build leadership capability across colleges, universities, and education-related organisations.
Expressions of interest are invited for the Executive Leadership Series, a high-impact programme for current and aspiring senior leaders.
Our CMI-accredited Emerging Leaders Programme supports practicing and aspiring managers to develop core leadership skills, while the Strategic Leaders Programme equips senior managers preparing for wider strategic responsibility. The next cohort begins in September, with a further intake in January.
We’re also offering our Coaching Skills for Managers Programme, designed to help managers adopt a coaching approach to leadership and team development.
From emerging talent to experienced executives, #YourCDN offers progressive leadership development to meet the needs of today’s sector.
Discover more here
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Research Development Programme (RDP) 2025/26 — The Ripple Effect
This year’s Research Development Programme (RDP) was shaped around The Ripple Effect, exploring how ideas, conversations and small shifts in practice can create meaningful change over time.
Across the series, inspiring speakers shared a wide range of topics at the intersection of research and practice, encouraging reflection, experimentation and new ways of thinking. Our intention was not just to inform, but to spark curiosity, supporting people to pursue different approaches to their own research, to work with and support others in new ways, or to plant the seeds of small but mighty change projects within their colleges.
A huge thank you to all of our guest speakers for their time, enthusiasm and for sharing their work! If you missed any or want to revisit them, please go to the RDP section of our Insights and Innovations hub where you'll find a recording of the session and additional resources.
Looking ahead to 2026/27: FEAST
For 2026/27, Research Development Programme is evolving into FEAST (Fostering Experimentation, Agency, Skills and Transformation.)
It will be open to all college staff. No research project required, just a curious mind! More information coming soon, but for now: CDN is very much looking forward to welcoming you to the FEAST in September 2026.
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#EqualityMatters:
Putting Inclusion at the Heart of Your Work
Discover #EqualityMatters, CDN’s monthly digest supporting staff to embed equality, diversity, and inclusion across colleges. Each edition links the UN SDGs to inclusive leadership, providing easy access to resources and events.
The May issue focuses on mental health, wellbeing, and equity, and explores how these factors shape the learner experience.
View May Issue here.
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Stepping Over the Threshold:
Belonging and Inclusion in Scotland’s Tertiary Sector
CDN in partnership with QAA, is pleased to invite staff and students from across Scotland’s tertiary sector to the 2026 STEP Conference, Stepping Over the Threshold: Belonging and Inclusion in Scotland’s Tertiary Sector.
Taking place on 27 May 2026 at Glasgow Caledonian University, this one-day event will explore belonging, inclusion and the transitional thresholds that shape learner journeys across tertiary education.
Focusing on the theme Supporting Diverse Learner Journeys, the conference will showcase sector enhancement work, alongside contributions from external speakers. It will also provide valuable opportunities to connect with colleagues and share perspectives from across colleges, universities, students’ associations and sector agencies.
The full programme will be announced in the coming weeks. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far.
Register your place here
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CDN College Awards 2026
The College Awards 2026, proudly delivered by CDN, are now open for entries! These awards celebrate the talent, achievements, and innovation of colleges, staff, and learners across Scotland.
Important Dates:
- Entry deadline: 5pm, Wednesday 24 June 2026
- Awards ceremony: Thursday 3 December 2026 at Radisson Blu, Glasgow
Submit your entries today – good luck to everyone!
Discover College Awards here
Become A Sponsor
Showcase your brand at the heart of Scotland’s college sector - discover sponsorship opportunities here.
Get Inspired by College Awards 2025!
Over 300 guests gathered in Glasgow for the biggest CDN College Awards yet, with a record 199 submissions showcasing innovation across Scotland’s colleges.
Explore the winners and watch the highlights!
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Hi everyone,
I hope you all had a lovely Easter break and have been enjoying the recent Spring sunshine.
April has been a great month for collaboration. CDN is here to support you to connect, share ideas, and take your practice further — within your college and across the sector. And your feedback tells us that you really value the opportunity to collaborate, share best practice and learn through our Networks. So, please do explore our Strategic Networks and Communities of Practice and get involved.
It’s been a strong and productive time across those Strategic Networks. We were delighted to relaunch the Essential Skills Network with an engaging event, creating a national space to strengthen essential, meta, and core skills, and foster innovation.
We’ve also been proud to support CDN's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategic Network’s Show Racism the Red Card campaign, bringing together voices from colleges across Scotland in a powerful new video that reflects the diversity of our sector — I’d encourage you to take a look.
There’s more to come too, including our upcoming College World Cup activation with the Marketing and Communications Network, so watch this space.
We’re also finalising our draft Strategic Plan for 2026-30, working closely with our staff, Board, colleges and wider stakeholders to shape our future strategic ambitions. Consultation will continue in May, and we’d really value your input — more details coming soon.
Finally, a quick reminder to senior leaders and board members: our upcoming CDN Masterclasses, delivered with Colleges Scotland and expert partners, offer valuable insights into strategic risk, governance, and political engagement. I hope to see you there.
As always, you can keep up to date via www.cdn.ac.uk, social media, and our newsletters.
Warm regards,
Marie Hendry
Chief Executive, CDN
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