As enrolment progresses across Scotland’s further education sector, colleges have said they are optimistic about meeting targets on student numbers. However, their responses to a Tes Scotland survey show that changes in entry requirements by neighbouring universities seem to have had an impact on enrolments in some subjects.

Annette Bruton, principal of Edinburgh College, said that, based on anecdotal evidence, it was “apparent” these changes were having an effect. “When we contact people we have offered places to but who have not turned up, we’ve found that a significant number have been offered a last-minute place at university.”

She explained: “In some areas, and based on careful consideration to get the enrolment numbers right, we are offering places to four times as many students as we plan for because we know that 75 per cent will either have us as their second option or get a job in the meantime.”

She added that, while she was supportive of young people seeking a university education, it was a challenge for the college that was outside of its control.

Overall, enrolment figures were up on last year, Ms Bruton said, and the college’s recently changed enrolment procedures, which enable students to be better-matched to a course suitable for them, had meant that many who thought they had missed out on a place could be accepted on a course.

Falling numbers

Another college, which did not want to be identified, said that student numbers in engineering were down on last year and there was an awareness universities had changed their entry requirements in that area. However, college management stressed it was too early to prove a link between those two events.

Dumfries and Galloway College principal Carol Turnbull said that, while it was still early in the new term and the enrolment process was not complete, HE enrolment numbers for session 2017-18 appeared to be down on last year. “It’s difficult to know what caused that. It could be a number of factors, such as students doing better with Higher results, lower numbers of school leavers this year, etc.”

All colleges in the survey indicated that their overall numbers were at least roughly in line with the targets agreed with the Sottish Funding Council.

Shona Struthers, chief executive of umbrella body Colleges Scotland, said that colleges could respond to demographic change and skills gaps quickly and efficiently. “We take a partnership approach to education, continuing dialogue with schools and universities. But we also need to avoid any adverse outcomes and unintended consequences to learners, colleges and the Scottish economy.”

She added: “Colleges Scotland expects to see cohorts of young people making different decisions about what is the right pathway for them. Colleges require to be flexible and agile to meet the needs of all learners, working in partnership with other educational providers.

“The ultimate ambition is that all young people are empowered to make a decision that works for them, to have the ability to exercise that choice, and to secure employment that makes the most of their talents and interest.”

Alastair Sim, chief executive of Universities Scotland, said that universities had been considering entry requirements as part of a wider stream of work on admissions, as they respond to the Commission on Widening Access. “Colleges have been a partner in our admissions work because we fully subscribe to the holistic view of the access agenda. We need to work together and we recognise that changes we make in the university sector will affect others, and vice-versa,” he said.