Purpose of the Network

The Business Development Directors Network plays a lead role in informing and advising the College Principals’ Group on matters relating to economic, commercial, and business development impacting the college sector in Scotland. An important part of the work is carried out within a range of Short Life Working Groups (SLWG) and subsidiary groups.

As well as providing members with the opportunity to discuss and analyse current and emerging issues, the Network represents a way of engaging with the wider business development directors’ community. It also has representatives on a wide range of external forums, and works proactively with relevant partner agencies to promote and further the interests of the college sector in Scotland.

Aims

  • Inform and advise the College Principals’ Group, Colleges Scotland, CDN and relevant funding bodies on all matters relating to policy, funding and delivery of:  College Funding, Commercial and Non-Core Income, Skills, Work-based programmes, Innovation, Enterprise and other issues relevant to the college sector
  • Implement a collective approach in national negotiations of contracts impacting the college sector relating to business development activities
  • Represent the views of colleges’ business development departments, and demonstrate their impacts to relevant government groups (Apprenticeship Advisory Group, Scottish Funding Council College Funding Group, Digital Advisory Group, Skills Development Scotland Learn and Train Advisory Group, etc), industry bodies, funders and across the broader tertiary sector, and to internal sector groups (College Principals’ Group – Scotland’s Skilled Workforce Forum).
  • Act as a community of practice to agree the creation and implementation of key priorities which will generate impact for all colleges in relation to collaborative economic and business development activities.

Speak to:

Sara Rae, Chair, Assistant Principal Enterprise and Skills, West College Scotland

CDN Lead

Gordon Hunt