In this blog, Victoria Underwood, CDN’s Director of Operations and Strategic Planning, reflects on the start of the 2025–26 academic year and how the sector is navigating ongoing challenges. She highlights how CDN is supporting colleges with practical tools, collaborative programmes, and tailored guidance to enhance learning, teaching, and student experience across Scotland.
Here at CDN, we have stepped into the 2025-26 academic year with energy and purpose.
The reality is clear: Scotland’s colleges continue to face a tough set of challenges. What is equally clear is the strength of the sector when we work together. CDN’s role is to walk alongside colleges, providing the tools, insight, and tailored support that help staff across the sector adapt and respond – so that learners feel the benefit, no matter the challenges around us.
Looking back on 2024-25, the introduction of Delivery Agreements, now in place with almost every college, has allowed us to better connect directly with local priorities. This means the support we offer is shaped around what each college needs.
Feedback has been clear: that personalised approach, combined with the practical expertise of the CDN team, has helped staff feel more confident and connected, and has made a real impact in day-to-day practice.
One of the real highlights of last year has been the progress of the Changing Learner programme, with trauma-informed practice now being embedded across much of the sector. Colleges tell us this work is helping staff understand and respond to learners’ needs in new ways, while also shifting culture and creating more supportive environments for both students and staff.
So, where’s our focus in 2052-26? Some highlights include:
- ElevateLT (launched at the start of the academic year) delivered in partnership with TeachingHOW2s, is bringing fresh thinking and practical tools to enhance pedagogy. This year we will be rolling this pilot out across the sector to expand our support to learning and teaching practitioners. Every college in Scotland is invited to take part.
- The Tertiary Self-Evaluation Toolkit has also been launched and is supporting colleges and universities with institutional self-evaluation and the writing of their Self Evaluation Action Plans. In 2025-26, we’ll work alongside colleges, universities, QAA Scotland, sparqs, SCQF and SFC to expand the toolkit into supporting institutions with ILQR and TQER.
- The Changing Learner programme continues to expand, supporting colleges to strengthen recruitment, retention, and attainment by understanding and responding to learners’ evolving needs and through the embedding of trauma-informed practice.
- Alongside QAA Scotland, we’re co-managing STEP (Scotland Tertiary Enhancement Programme), creating space for colleges and universities to collaborate, share practice, and tackle sector-wide enhancement priorities together.
- Our leadership and governance programmes will continue to strengthen the sector’s pipeline of future leaders, equipping staff at all levels with the skills, confidence and networks to drive change.
- And, as ever, our Delivery Agreements remain central – ensuring that our offer is balanced with tailored, localised support for every college.
This year is also about listening carefully. Over the coming months, we will be out across Scotland, meeting with college teams as we start developing our next strategic plan for 2026-2030. These conversations will shape our future direction, ensuring that CDN remains rooted in the needs and ambitions of the sector.
Yes, challenges remain – for colleges, learners, and the wider tertiary system. But by working together, by sharing learning openly, and by continuing to innovate with purpose, we can make 2025-26 a year where we not only deliver but also lay strong foundations for the future.
