Framework for the Development of Strong and Effective College Students
The Framework for the Development of Strong and Effective College Students' Associations in Scotland is housed on a dedicated SA Framework website, which contains supporting documentation, including a Self-Evaluation and Development Planning Tool, useful links and information around the continued support offered by NUS Scotland and sparqs.
The Framework was developed by the Scottish Government, NUS Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council, and also endorsed by Colleges Scotland. It was developed following the 2012 Griggs Report recommendation which set out a series of principles which it recommended for students' associations in the regionalised college sector. The report said students' associations should be sustainable, autonomous and appropriately funded.
The Scottish Government agreed with this recommendation, and in August 2013 the Scottish Funding Council announced the establishment of a working group tasked with creating best practice guidance on creating strong students' associations.
Visit the Framework website for all the resources and more information: www.saframework.net
(June 2015)
Item Number:215
- Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (TQEF) - Guidance for Elections - sparqs
- Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP) - Practical Guide to student partnership - sparqs
- Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) - Practical Guide for students’ associations and student officers - sparqs
- Self-Evaluation and Action Plan (SEAP) - Practical guide to student partnership - sparqs
- Using the SLE model as a Course Rep 2025-26 - sparqs
- An induction guide for Academic Representation Co-ordinators - sparqs
- A guide to inducting students association education officers - sparqs
- Supporting the future careers of SA education officers: outduction toolkit - sparqs et al
- Scotland's Ambition for Student Partnership - sparqs
- Online and blended learning: best practice for a successful student induction - sparqs
- Online Student Learning Experience Model - Perth College UHI
- Students as active partners in shaping their learning experience - Leeds Trinity University College
- Student Partnership Staircase - sparqs
- ABCD of Effective Feedback - sparqs
- Theory of partnership: Ladder of Citizen Participation - Sherry R Arnstein
- Understanding the SU's key relationships: The Cadogan Matrice
- Framework for the Development of Strong and Effective College Students
- A Student Engagement Framework for Scotland - sparqs and sector partners
- Engaging Students in Online Distance Learning - sparqs
- Supporting Senior Student Officers in Universities - sparqs
For all resources published by sparqs, see the "sparqs Resources" category in the list on the left, including the following:
- Student Learning Experience model
- Scotland's Ambition for Student Partnership
- A Student Engagement Framework for Scotland
+ resources linked to the SEF - ABCD of Effective Feedback
- Student Partnership Staircase
See all sparqs publications (Strategic Plans, celebration reports, etc.) here.