Colleges as Enablers of Sustainable, Inclusive Economic Growth

Launched in November 2021, the Economic Recovery Group programme has been developed to accelerate sector-wide leadership skills, best practice, knowledge exchange and case studies in regional economic renewal and growth by:

  • Working with leadership teams and boards of college regions to understand their role in supporting regional economic recovery and shaping economic renewal and build their confidence and capabilities to drive forward this agenda​.
  • Highlighting and promoting colleges’ role in supporting regional economic recovery and renewal.

The first phase has seen the ERG Team working alongside leadership teams and boards in colleges to develop their confidence and capabilities to drive forward their roles as anchor institutions in their regions and build productive relationships with key partners.

Going forwards into 2023 and phase 2 of the programme, the ERG Team are further developing the confidence and capabilities of college leadership and boards as they seek to develop inter-regional and cross tertiary collaboration.

  • Economic Recovery Group: Phase 1 Summary Report

    Scotland's Colleges: Enablers of Sustainable, Inclusive Economic Growth

    View the Summary Report here

Who we are

Discover more about our team members by selecting their individual profiles below:

Dr Paul Smart

Independent Consultant, MacraeSmart Consulting


Ross Martin

Chair, Forth Valley College


Dr Willie Mackie

Deputy Chair of Scottish Enterprise and former Chair of Ayrshire College


Jennifer Lewis

Project Support Administrator


Victoria Underwood

Head of Leadership, Governance and Research at CDN


Objectives of the Programme:

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Work with college regions to understand their role in supporting regional economic recovery and shaping economic renewal.

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Build the confidence and capabilities of senior leaders and boards in colleges to drive forward their roles as anchor institutions in their regions and build productive relationships with key partners

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Develop and disseminate sector-wide best practice knowledge sharing, case studies, and learning through project-based activity