While some Scottish colleges have been reporting waiting lists of thousands of applicants, Scotland’s only residential FE college - Newbattle Abbey in Midlothian - is copying the marketing strategies of gyms and online shopping portals to attract students. Its “Share the Experience” scheme, advertised on the college’s website, asks former students to recommend it to prospective applicants, saying: “If you recommend someone who (sic) we accept and the student is still with us by Christmas, then we will send you pound;50 as thanks.”

Stow College in Glasgow has become the first in Scotland to be part of BBC dragon Peter Jones’ Enterprise Academy, which combines its own brand of practical training and development opportunities. The college will launch the one-year, full-time Level 3 BTEC diploma in enterprise and entrepreneurship on Tuesday. Peter Jones said the academy could “make a real difference by helping young people in Glasgow gain the skills and experience to be entrepreneurial and take ownership of their future”.

The new Edinburgh College is inviting applications to join its board of management. The institution is looking for candidates with expertise in community and leadership, industry and commerce, finance and marketing, international education or IT. Ian McKay, chair of the Edinburgh college region, said Edinburgh and the Lothians boasted some of Scotland’s most skilled people, and it would therefore be great “to have some of this incredible talent pool join us as we start this exciting journey with Edinburgh College.”

The selection process was launched earlier this month, and appointments will be made within six weeks.