sparqs conducted a series of institutional visits with 36 colleges, universities and tertiary institutions between October 2024 and February 2025. The purpose of these visits was:
- To discuss sparqs’ two key sector resources, the Student Learning Experience model and Scotland’s Ambition for Student Partnership, and to capture the ways in which these resources are being used in the sector.
- To gather information on the key topics institutions and students’ associations are working on this year.
- To shape sparqs’ ongoing support for institutions and students’ associations.
sparqs has undertaken an analysis of the data received from these institutional visits. All attendees from the visits will receive a national summary of the key themes related to learning & teaching and students’ association activity via email.
sparqs will use this data and evidence internally as we undertake our own strategic and operational planning. We will use the key themes identified in the visits to shape sparqs’ future projects and workplan and will keep the sector up to date on these plans as they develop. There will be opportunities for institutions and students’ associations to take part in several new projects and further information will follow about these areas of work over the next few months.
At the visits, it was fantastic to hear about the breadth of innovative uses of the Student Learning Experience model and the Partnership Ambition already underway across Scotland. sparqs will work with the sector to collate a suite of case studies, in order to ensure that this best practice is shared widely across the tertiary sector.
We would like to thank all of the student officers, students’ association staff, and institutional staff who took the time to meet with us as part of the institutional visits.
For further information, please contact Megan Brown, Senior Development Consultant – megan.brown@sparqs.ac.uk.
