Aim and Objectives

The Forum's mission is:

"To work in partnership to increase the number of people from under-represented groups in the North of Scotland who progress on to post-compulsory education and to work together to reduce barriers to progression between all education sectors."

The overarching aim of the Forum is to develop a strategy to increase the number of people in the North of Scotland (as defined by the SFC) from under-represented groups who participate in further and higher education and to implement this strategy with a defined work program.

The Forum recognises that its overall aims are those given to it by the Scottish Funding Council. At the most general level this means to widen participation in post-compulsory education. At a slightly greater degree of refinement, this means to develop activities that will impact in three key areas:

A. Communities: Promoting the development of educational opportunities in community locations which will encourage non-participatory groups to engage with learning and provide clear progression routes into more formal certificated learning.
B. Schools:Providing motivation and information for pupils in schools who do not aspire to participate in post-compulsory education to enable them to see the value of participation.
C. Transitions Easing transition for people moving between stages in education – from school to college or university, from college to university, from informal community based education to more formal education and so on.

Our objectives for each of these key areas are outlined in our Strategic Plan 2008/09 - 2012/13

Caitriona Maciver, North Forum Manager
Castle House, Fairways Business Park, Castle Heather, Inverness, IV2 6AA
Tel: 01463 701010 email: c.maciver@abdn.ac.uk