Hello Emma Grainger,

CDN Update

I’m delighted to share this month's issue, filled with fantastic updates.

With only two weeks to go, we’re making final preparations for this year's CDN College Awards. Celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2024, the awards recognise the remarkable work of our colleges, their staff and students and their impact in the communities they serve. With a record 163 entries from Scotland’s Colleges, we look forward to announcing the winners on Thursday 14 November at Radisson Blu, Glasgow. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Join us for an online session in partnership with the Scottish Funding Council on the December Self-Evaluation Action Plan (SEAP) submission. This is a great chance for tertiary quality colleagues to ask questions and gain insights from Glasgow Kelvin College and the University of Edinburgh.

The CDN Researcher Development Programme has begun, and it’s not too late to join! Using critical and design thinking frameworks, this programme supports your research projects. Whether you have a project idea, mentor others, or just love researching, we invite you to get involved.

As always, we continue to offer a wide range of impactful Courses, Events, practice-focused Research and best practice guidance to support your professional practice. Take a moment and have a look at what's on offer on CDN’s website.

Celebrate 25 Years of Excellence at the CDN College Awards

The College Awards celebrate the talent and achievements of colleges, their staff, and learners, highlighting the amazing innovation taking place over Scotland.

This year is special as we mark the 25th anniversary of the Awards, showcasing the lasting impact of colleges on learners and communities.

We received an impressive 163 entries from Scotland’s Colleges, and the winners will be revealed at the ceremony on Thursday 14 November, at Radisson Blu, Glasgow.

2024/25 Self-Evaluation and Action Plan (SEAP) Information Session

Join us for an informative online session on Wednesday 6 November, with the Scottish Funding Council, focused on the December Self-Evaluation Action Plan (SEAP) submission.

This is a great opportunity for tertiary Quality colleagues to ask questions and seek clarification before the deadline.

We’ll also hear from Glasgow Kelvin College and the University of Edinburgh, who will share their experiences and insights on the progress of the process so far. Whether you're new to self-evaluation or looking for updates on reporting requirements, this session will offer valuable insights and guidance to help ensure a smooth submission process.

Researcher Development Programme

The CDN Researcher Development Programme kicked off this week, but don't worry it’s not too late to join!

This programme follows a critical thinking and design thinking framework, exploring a variety of strategies, approaches, and methods to support research projects.

We invite anyone with a research project (related to TQFE or not), those with ideas for new projects, mentors supporting others in their research, or anyone who simply loves researching to get involved.

#EqualityMatters Digest

We want to help you put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of all you do, so we have developed a monthly #EqualityMatters digest, signposting you to related events, information and resources.

Next months focus is... Sextortion and Human Trafficking

Click the image below for infographic:

Watch this Space...

CAIRN Journal Issue 2 Coming Soon

The CDN Research and Enhancement Centre hosts the Colleges Action Inquiry Research Network (CAIRN) Journal, an essential platform for scholarship in the Scottish college sector.

The journal features contributions from college researchers, including research articles, personal reflections, and book reviews, as well as short narratives highlighting innovative educational practices.

Our goal is to create a practitioner-oriented publication that advances scholarship and promotes knowledge exchange among educators, researchers, leaders, developers, managers, and evaluators.

Look out for the next issue of the CAIRN Journal, arriving in November!

CDN, Stirling Enterprise Park, John Player Building University of Stirling, FK9 4LA.

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