Scottish Government

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Scottish University for Industry ( SUfI) - branded as learndirect scotland - launched its activities in October 2000, as part of the drive to help Scotland rise to new global economic challenges. Its objective is to make a key contribution to the development of a more competitive economy and inclusive society. Within this aim, SUfI is perceived to occupy a key role in delivering the Scottish Executive's goal of creating a 'learning, earning nation'.

1.2 In November 2005, SQW Ltd ( SQW) was commissioned by the Scottish Executive ( SE) to conduct an evaluation of SUfI. The overall aim of the assignment was to assess the impact of SUfI in order to inform the future allocation of resources by the Scottish Executive. The assignment was required to provide:

• analysis of value for money, costs and benefits (quantitative impact)
• analysis of the wider, experiential impact of SUfI (qualitative impact).

1.3 The research brief specified that the evaluation should go beyond straight value-for-money analysis, and assess the impact of SUfI's services on learners and its key stakeholders in a more quantitative and experiential way.

BACKGROUND TO SUfI

1.4 SUfI was originally set up as two private companies, with the holding company limited by guarantee of directors appointed by Scottish Ministers. However, from 1 April 2005, SUfI has been operating as an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body with private limited company status. This means that there is no commercial imperative to generate profits.

1.5 Before presenting evidence which is intended to shed light on the performance and impact of SUfI, it is important to understand the context within which SUfI operates and the broader objectives that underpin its activities.

Lifelong Learning Strategy

1.6 The policy framework which is of most relevance to SUfI is the Lifelong Learning Strategy (Scottish Executive, 2003). The strategy's overarching aim is to foster a culture of lifelong learning in Scotland. The three main pillars to the strategy propose that lifelong learning will:

• benefit Scotland economically
• ensure individuals develop personally
• bring collective benefits to society as a whole.

1.7 Thus it is grounded on the belief that greater participation and achievement in learning can be a key factor in stimulating economic growth and competitiveness, enhancing individuals' capabilities and generating a more inclusive society.

1.8 To achieve these aims, the strategy argues that the following must happen:

• more people must be dissuaded from believing that learning is 'not for them', by discovering that it is
• change must occur in key aspects of both the supply of, and demand for, learning
• the strategy must complement and influence the work being advocated and undertaken within other key policy documents and strategies.

1.9 Against this background the strategy outlines a vision for Lifelong Learning in Scotland, which is 'the best possible match between the learning opportunities open to people and the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours which will strengthen Scotland's economy and society'. To realise this vision, the strategy focuses on five key goals, beneath which sit a range of specific actions:

• Goal 1 - a Scotland where people have the confidence, enterprise, knowledge, creativity and skills they need to participate in economic social and civic life
• Goal 2 - a Scotland where people demand and providers deliver a high quality learning experience
• Goal 3 - a Scotland where people's knowledge and skills are recognised, used and developed to best effect in their workplace
• Goal 4 - a Scotland where people are given the information, guidance and support they need to make effective learning decisions and transitions
• Goal 5 - a Scotland where people have the chance to learn, irrespective of their background or current personal circumstances.

How does SUfI contribute to the strategy?

1.10 In order to contribute to the achievement of the goal of a 'learning, earning nation', the main objectives of SUfI are to:

• stimulate the demand for learning
• provide information and advice
• improve access
• develop infrastructure and capacity.

1.11 Within these main objectives are the underlying goals of enhancing the skills and employability of individuals, and enhancing the skills and competitiveness of SMEs.

1.12 To support these aspirations SUfI has established a sophisticated, technology-enabled, national infrastructure with the following features:

• a network of 500 quality-assured, client-focused learning centres
• a national database of over 80,000 quality-assured learning opportunities
• national information and advice helplines
• a team of field-based support staff who assist learning centres and small businesses to engage more effectively and efficiently with their clients.

1.13 The key elements of SUfI's provision are described in more detail below.

Network of Branded Learning Centres

1.14 learndirect scotland oversees a network of 500 learning centres which 'offer high quality services in a welcoming and supportive learning environment where learners can make guided choices about what, how and when they learn'. learndirect scotland does not own or manage any of these centres, but enters into agreements with learning providers to offer high quality in a learner-centred environment.

1.15 The first step in joining the network of branded learning centres is for the centre to agree to deliver the learndirect scotland Pledge to Learners (see www.lds4partners.com). At the heart of the pledge is the belief that people should be able to access learning throughout their lives. Branded centres undertake to:

• 'offer the time, place, pace and style of learning that most closely meets your needs
• give clear information that helps you make the best personal choices about learning programmes and maintain control of your learning
• provide learning materials that are relevant to your own personal and work interests and actively involve you in practical examples, exercises and experience
• enable you to monitor your progress and record your achievements as you go, not just at the end of a complete programme
• provide you with access to the specialist support you need when you need it
• work with you to develop the skills that help you to learn and stay learning
• give you the chance to relate your learning to your own longer term ambitions
• help you to feel part of a wider learning community and put you in touch with other people studying the same things.
• link your learning to key areas of your life such as work, family, citizenship and your own personal development
• encourage you to value learning and see it add value to your life.'

National Learning Opportunities Database ( NLOD)

1.16 The opportunities database offers individuals and companies a single comprehensive national database of learning opportunities and a central source of information for potential learners. In 2004-05 approximately one million searches were undertaken.

1.17 Training and learning providers can promote their learning opportunities to individuals and companies via this database, subject to quality assurance. Registered providers receive software - the Provider Opportunity Management Tool ( PROMT) that enables them to manage their own learning information. They are also allocated a named learning information specialist and receive activity reports. PROMT is intended to allow providers to: add, edit or remove courses in line with changing course content, new start dates or fees; react quickly if courses become fully booked or are no longer running; maintain the accuracy of information; perform bulk updates to quickly change information in multiple courses.

National Helplines

1.18 SUfI runs the national free helpline for individuals and the national training advice line for SMEs, offering advice and information on more than 100,000 learning opportunities held on the national learning opportunities database. Information is also available on: the network of learndirect scotland branded learning centres; the learndirect scotland portfolio of on-line sectoral content, which is free to branded learning centres, learning technology; and business support capacity, via the Training Partner team.

Developing Content

1.19 SUfI is not a learning provider or reseller, but a broker. However learndirect scotland works with a range of partners and developers to produce accessible, engaging and relevant online learning content in areas where gaps have been identified and where there is no clear, commercial market opportunity. This includes brokering and acting as repository for other originators' free content.

1.20 The purpose of commissioning new learning content for the repository is to:

• address market failures
• develop capacity in learning centres
• engage disadvantaged learners in life skills
• stimulate the competency of the learning market
• provide courseware free to the Learning Centre network.

1.21 SUfI's content commissioning model focuses on ensuring that future content meets the requirements of the learning centre network and learners. It also involves learning centre staff and learners in testing new content. This is designed to ensure that learners are comfortable with the style, format and level of new online materials and that they are easily accessible to as many learners as possible.

Skillnet and Learning Bytes

1.22 Skillnet is SUfI's learning management system. Its most high profile element is 'Learning Bytes'. These are short courses which are intended to offer individuals the opportunity to experience a taste of the subject, before deciding whether to embark on a more in-depth and accredited course within the subject area.

1.23 The 300 taster courses in the learndirect scotland online 'Learning Bytes' catalogue are available at no cost to the network of branded learning centres. They include courses in business and management and information technology, including basic PC, Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Project, office integration, e-mail, internet and web courses.

1.24 It is also worth noting that the Training Partners can make these courses available to SMEs in order to provide an opportunity for them to evaluate e-learning in the workplace, before referring the SME to an appropriate learning centre where they can explore other e-learning opportunities.

1.25 The Learning Bytes catalogue also includes complete or abridged commissioned courses, which were previously promoted as the Sectorsolutions range. These include skills-based taster-courses plus others which support qualifications (for example in construction, hospitality, call handling, and engineering), as well as general interest courses with no assessments in subjects such as Gaelic and health and safety.

1.26 Learners accessing e-learning through branded learning centres can self-register and launch courses within minutes. Reports tracking all learning are accessed by learning centre staff and certificates can be issued by the system for centres to give to their learners.

1.27 Work is in progress to cluster blended learning opportunities together as a package in the catalogue, offering a combination of e-learning and face-to-face learning through the learning centres.

Joint Campaigns

1.28 SUfI works with partners and has often led joint campaigns to develop marketing campaigns targeting individuals and businesses. These range from high profile campaigns such as ILA Scotland, where SUfI is involved as one of the Scottish Executive's delivery partners, and The Big Plus, where SUfI works under the direction of Communities Scotland, to smaller-scale activities targeting, for example, voluntary sector organisations working with disadvantaged groups, or business sectors such as the hospitality industry.

1.29 This range of activities has been established within a relatively short time to enable SUfI to become a highly regarded organisation within the learning community in Scotland, as will be asserted later in the report.

STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORT

1.30 The next chapter of the report describes the methodology adopted to conduct the study. Chapter 3 considers the policy and economic context and summarises the views of some of SUfI's external stakeholders. This is followed by chapters concentrating on the findings generated by the study: Chapter 4 focuses on the survey of individual learners, Chapter 5 on learndirect scotland for business, and Chapter 6 on branded learning centres. Chapter 7 provides an assessment of the value for money which SUfI represents, while Chapter 8 considers key performance indicators and progress made towards targets. The concluding chapter draws together the main points emanating from the study.

1.31 Please note that SUfI is the name of the organisation and it provides services to the public by means of brands - learndirect scotland and learndirect scotland for business. At times in this report reference is made to SUfI or to the brands - the choice is dictated by the way in which different people (individuals or businesses or other bodies) relate to the organisation that is SUfI.