Hello
CDN Update

Hello everyone, I'm absolutely delighted and honoured to start my new role this week as CDN's Chief Executive. I very much look forward to meeting and working with you, alongside the rest of the team at CDN, to build on its great work and recent successes.

Virtual College Expo23 will take place on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 June 2023, and earlier this month we were delighted to launch an action-packed programme. The programme includes 24 interactive workshops, 10 informative seminar sessions, plus truly inspiring keynote speakers. Virtual College Expo23 promises to be an incredible two days and the very best yet! Find out more below.

Another key event next month, is the CDN Marketing and Communications Conference taking place on Thursday 8 June. This conference will be of interest to anyone who works in, or with, the marketing and communications team within Scotland’s tertiary education system. The conference will also appeal to those who have a keen interest in digital skills, social media trends and AI. Find out more below.

Dates for the diary - the deadline for College Awards entries is Friday 30 June and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Thursday 30 November at Radisson Blu, Glasgow. We look forward to receiving your award-winning entry!

We continue to offer a wide range of impactful Courses, Events and Research to support your professional development. Take a moment and have a look at what's on offer below and on CDN’s website.
Marie Hendry, Chief Executive, CDN
College Expo23

College Expo is the most exciting professional learning event for tertiary education in Scotland. This year's theme explores: ‘Developing Practice Across Tertiary Education.’

Virtual College Expo

Virtual College Expo returns this year to offer inspirational keynotes, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking seminars. Coming to your screen on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 June.

The Virtual College Expo programme offers a wide range of topics, including Digital Skills, Sustainability, Inclusion, Learning and Teaching, Leadership, and the beating heart of education - the Students' Voice.

We're delighted to announce this year's inspiring Keynote Speakers:

  • Graeme Dey MSP, Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans
  • Darren McGarvey, Author, Musician, Social Commentator
  • Professor Nazira Karodia MBE, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice Principal of Learning and Teaching, Edinburgh Napier University
  • Morgan Dee, Director of AI and Data Science, EDUCATE Ventures Research

Plus 24 Interactive Workshops and 10 Informative Seminar Sessions, we really do have something for everyone at Virtual College Expo23!
College Expo Roadshow

In addition to the two-day Virtual College Expo, we extended College Expo this year by introducing the College Expo Roadshow, which included three lively face-to-face panel sessions hosted by colleges around Scotland.

The hugely successful Roadshows took place at Borders College exploring Student Experience, Forth Valley College exploring Professional Learning and UHI Inverness exploring Curriculum Design.
Marketing and Communications Conference, Thursday 8 June, Stirling
The CDN Marketing and Communications Conference takes place on Thursday 8 June in Stirling, and will be of interest to anyone who works in or with a college marketing and communications role or within Scotland’s tertiary education system 

We’re really excited to be hosting a great line up of speakers and interactive workshops, including:

  • Driving your student recruitment with Penny Eccles, Strategic Marketing and Student Recruitment Consultant
  • Doing more with less with Antoinette Beekye, Head of Digital Marketing, Communications and Enrichment at Waltham Forest College
  • Marketing research essentials with Mark Diffley, Founder of the Diffley Partnership
  • Video production 101 with Jim Boxall, Digital Marketing Officer at UHI Argyll
  • Cutting edge social: Platforms you can take advantage of today with the We Are Hydrogen Team
  • Insights, what are they good for? Absolutely everything! with Senior Insights Manager Ewan and Insights Manager Megan at We Are Hydrogen
  • AI – marketing friend or foe? with Andrew Dobbie, Creative Entrepreneur and CEO at MadeBrave
College Awards - Entry Deadline 30 June!
The CDN College Awards are now open for entries!

The Awards recognise the talent, skills and achievements of colleges, their staff and their learners.

The deadline for entries is Friday 30 June 2023, and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Thursday 30 November at Radisson Blu, Glasgow.

Need some help with your entry? Check out our Top Tips to submitting your award-winning entry here.
CDN Signs the Armed Forces Covenant
CDN has signed the Armed Forces Covenant in recognition of the contribution that Service personnel, both regular and reservist, veterans and military families make to colleges, our community and to the country. The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation to those who serve or who have served, and their families, which says we will do all we can to ensure they are treated fairly and not disadvantaged in their day-to-day lives.
Partner News:
SQA Beginner's Guide to the Next Generation of Higher National Qualifications

This one-hour free, live and interactive webinar will focus on key messages and lessons learned, and will spotlight meta-skills, grading, articulation and progression, and quality assurance.

Attendees will receive a CPD certificate upon completion and there will be an opportunity to give feedback and to ask questions.

Partner News:
QAA Enhancement Conference

QAA Scotland's 5th International Enhancement Conference, 'Shaping the Student Experience Together: 20 Years of Enhancement', will be held on 14-15 June 2023 at Glasgow Caledonian University.

In-person registration for the conference may have closed, but you can still register as an online attendee or join the in-person waiting list.
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