Higher education in Scotland's colleges: A distinctive tradition?

Abstract

This article examines the policy framework and national structures that have shaped the development of higher education in Scotland's Colleges. It is suggested that these have helped create a higher education tradition that is in significant ways different from that which exists in the further education sector in England. The emphasis on collaboration in Scottish policy is also noted, but it is suggested that there has only been limited and patchy progress towards achieving some key policy objectives, and the impact of more recent initiatives remains to be seen. © 2009 The Author. Journal compilation. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.