Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP) has wrapped up its first year — and it’s already making an impact. Designed to bring colleges and universities together, STEP is all about collaboration: staff and students co-creating projects to improve learning, teaching, and student support across the sector.
Launched in autumn 2024, STEP is led jointly by College Development Network (CDN) and QAA Scotland, and supported by the Scottish Funding Council. It’s part of Scotland’s Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework (TQEF), built on the idea that real, lasting improvement happens when people work together.
Each STEP cycle runs for four years, with the sector convening around a particular topic, and the first year focused on Discovery. In 2024-25, under the current topic – Supporting Diverse Learner Journeys – participants connected through a series of in-person and online events to spark ideas and build partnerships.
A Year of Discovery
The first Discovery Day took place on 4 December 2024 at the University of Stirling, where more than 80 participants gathered to learn about STEP’s aims and meet the four Topic Leads. Attendees began exploring sector-wide challenges and identifying opportunities for collaboration. A follow-up online Navigation Session on 10 December gave participants a chance to reflect, raise questions and develop emerging themes using the Open Space method.
The second Discovery Day, held on 29 January 2025 in Inverness, saw the early formation of eight project teams. Discussions focused on how institutions can support effective cross-sector working, with presentations from the University of Aberdeen and New College Lanarkshire showcasing how STEP could be embedded in institutional priorities. A subsequent Navigation Session on 28 April helped teams refine ideas and map out support needs.
By the third Discovery Day on 26 March in Glasgow, the conversation had shifted to outcomes and impact. Participants explored how to evaluate success and meaningfully involve students throughout the process.
The final Discovery Day of the year, held on 28 May in Dundee, was all about moving from ideas to action. Project teams worked on delivery planning, resource requirements and risk management. A final Navigation Session on 9 June provided space for project teams to work on their proposals and gather feedback from their peers.
Reflections and Next Steps
Dr Alison Eales, Quality Enhancement Manager at QAA Scotland, said:
“It has been wonderful to see students and staff from all over Scotland engaging so positively and thoughtfully during this first year of STEP. As a sector, we have built a momentum that should help propel us into the second year and beyond.”
Victoria Underwood, Director of Operations and Strategic Planning at CDN, added:
“In just one year, STEP has started to show real impact. By working together, colleges and universities are finding better ways to support students, no matter their journey. There’s more to come, and year two is when the changes will really start to take shape with tertiary STEP projects moving into implementation.”
As STEP moves into its implementation phase in 2025–26, colleges and universities across Scotland are ready to bring their projects to life. The first year has set the stage — and the journey is only just beginning.
