- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the statement in the general report of the Bologna follow-up seminar in Athens that “it is clear that tuition fees can form severe access thresholds” and whether it will review its graduate endowment scheme accordingly.
Answer
Tuitionfees can be perceived as an impediment to accessing full-time higher educationcourses. That is precisely why we abolished tuition fees for all eligibleScottish domiciled and EU students undertaking a full-time higher educationcourse in Scotland since autumn 2000.
The Graduate Endowment isnot, however, a deferred tuition fee. Many of those who are eligible to receivefree tuition will not have to pay the endowment. There are therefore no plansto review these arrangements.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning received any guarantees at the Berlin Conference of European Ministers in charge of higher education on 18 and 19 September 2003 on the importance of recognising national frameworks.
Answer
The European ministerialconference was held to review the progress being made towards the implementingthe principles of the Bologna Declaration. Forty countries are now committed tothis process, which recognises the need for diversity and flexibility. This isreflected in the text of the Berlin Communiqué agreed at the conference.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be financial implications for higher education institutions as a result of reforms through the Bologna process.
Answer
There are no specific financialimplications expected for higher education institutions as a result of reformsrecommended by the Bologna Declaration. Bologna isan integral process which seeks to enhance educational co-operation andmobility across Europe. Institutions and other stakeholders participate ona voluntary basis.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be financial implications for further education colleges as a result of its participation in the Bologna process.
Answer
There are no specific financialimplications expected for further education colleges as a result of the Scottish Executive’s participation in the Bologna process. Bologna is an integral process which seeks to enhanceeducational co-operation and mobility across Europe. Institutions and otherstakeholders participate on a voluntary basis.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning signed the Berlin Communiqui at the Berlin Conference of European Ministers in charge of higher education on 18 and 19 September 2003.
Answer
The text of the BerlinCommuniqué was agreed by all delegations participating in the conference. Therewas no formal signing process.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive in what capacity the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning attended the Berlin Conference of European Ministers in charge of higher education on 18 and 19 September 2003.
Answer
The Deputy Minister for Enterpriseand Lifelong Learning attended the recent European conference as a member of theUKdelegation.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons it has learned from other higher education systems in Europe as a result of the Bologna process.
Answer
The Executive has learntthat Scotland is well advanced in meeting the key principles of the Bologna Declaration. Specifically at the Berlin conference, we learnt thatScotland has a national credit and qualifications framework and a higher educationquality assurance system which are at the forefront of European developments inthese areas. We will continue to value the opportunity to exchange informationand views with counterparts from across Europe.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 21 October 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Bologna process will affect its lifelong learning provision.
Answer
The Bolognaprocess recognises the importance of higher education for lifelong learning.This is consistent with the Executive’s lifelong strategy “Life ThroughLearning: Learning Through Life”.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 29 September 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional work for existing staff in respect of the one-year probationary teacher system was taken into account in the recent job-si'ing exercise carried out as part of the McCrone agreement.
Answer
The job-sizing exercise encompassesall management responsibilities outlined in the agreement A Teaching Professionfor the 21st Century. This includes the management and guidance of colleagues.However, it should be noted that there is no requirement for probationer teachersto be supported by a particular grade of teacher.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 29 September 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements have been made in the education system at the Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre, as referred to by the Minister for Communities in the Parliament on 11 September 2003.
Answer
HM Inspectorate of Education’supdate report on education provision at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre,published by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in August 2003, sets out the improvementsmade following the October 2002 inspection. The information requested is on page2 of the report, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre,(Bib. number 29149) or on the internet at
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs2/dungavelupdate.pdf.
