Three-year partnership opens degree pathway in Dumfries and Galloway

New opportunities for people to progress from college into degree-level study without having to leave Dumfries and Galloway are being created through a major new education partnership.

The Open University in Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway College have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will see them work together to widen access to higher education and develop clearer routes through learning for people across the region.

The three-year programme will create more flexible progression opportunities, enabling learners to build higher-level qualifications while remaining in their communities and, where appropriate, combining study with employment.

The partnership will also respond to regional skills needs by exploring new approaches to curriculum design, enterprise education, digital learning and degree-level provision delivered through college and community settings.

The programme is being supported through the Scottish Funding Council’s University Transformation Framework and forms part of an expansion of The Open University in Scotland’s ‘Catalyst Centre’ approach with five college partners across Scotland.

Martin Boyle, Principal of The Open University in Scotland, said: “This funding supports The Open University in Scotland to work with Dumfries and Galloway College to create new student opportunities. The partnership will look and feel unique, creating a bespoke approach which meets the region’s particular needs while tapping into our world-leading digital education and research.

“Dumfries and Galloway College has an important and complementary social mission which fits well with our ongoing commitment to improving skills and enhancing links across Scotland.”

A strand of the partnership based at the college’s Stranraer campus will give students opportunities to develop creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial skills through links with the OU’s Open Enterprise Network and other partner activities.

Douglas Dickson, Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Dumfries and Galloway College, said: “We have already been developing a proposition for higher level study from our Stranraer campus and this Memorandum of Understanding with The Open University in Scotland allows us to take that forward through the Catalyst Centre initiative.

“This will create new opportunities for learners in the Dumfries and Galloway region, providing clear progression pathways and helping more people access higher level study in a way that meets their ambitions and local workforce needs. This investment recognises the importance of collaboration in widening participation and supporting inclusive economic growth.”

In Dumfries and Galloway, the work will include closer engagement with communities and partner organisations to develop and strengthen pathways into education for learners and organisations across the region.

The partners will explore opportunities for direct progression from college courses into Open University degree-level study, including the potential for higher education provision to be delivered within college and community settings.

Young people will also be supported through closer connections between The Open University in Scotland’s Young Applicants in Schools Scheme and Dumfries and Galloway College, helping learners understand the options available to them and opening up further progression opportunities.

The two institutions will also explore how curriculum can be co-designed to meet the needs of students and employers while responding directly to skills demand across Dumfries and Galloway.

That work will be complemented by support for capacity building within the college through the national approach to quality assurance and enhancement, helping strengthen learning and teaching across the partnership.

Digital learning will form another important part of the programme, with a bespoke route being developed to help the college make greater use of the OU’s OpenLearn provision and its extensive range of free learning resources.

Rather than requiring people to relocate to pursue higher education or professional development, the partnership is designed to make it easier for learners to study, work and remain within Dumfries and Galloway.

Flexible “earn and learn” pathways will also be explored, giving people the opportunity to combine employment with study and develop qualifications while continuing to contribute to the local economy.

As investment grows across Scotland’s key industries, the programme aims to help people in Dumfries and Galloway develop the knowledge, qualifications and confidence required to access skilled careers and contribute to the region’s long-term prosperity.