Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 6)

Part 1 S Further and higher education etc.

[F1 Regional strategic bodies: functions S

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 23E-23O and cross-heading inserted (1.8.2014) by Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013 (asp 12), ss. 10, 23(2); S.S.I. 2014/79, art. 2(2), Sch. 2

23L Regional strategic body to have regard to particular matters S

(1) In exercising its functions, a regional strategic body is to have regard to—

(a) skills needs in the localities of its colleges;

(b) issues affecting the economy of the localities of its colleges;

(c) social and cultural issues in the localities of its colleges; and

(d) the needs and issues in relation to Scotland identified by the Council for the purposes of section 20(1).

(2) In exercising its functions, a regional strategic body is to—

(a) have regard to the desirability of the achieving of sustainable development; and

(b) in particular, encourage its colleges to contribute (so far as reasonably practicable for them to do so) to the achievement of sustainable development.

(3) In exercising its functions, a regional strategic body is to have regard to the—

(a) United Kingdom context; and

(b) international context,

in which any of its colleges may carry on its activities.

(4) In exercising its functions, a regional strategic body is to have regard to the educational and related needs (including support needs) of persons who are, and the likely educational and related needs (including support needs) of persons who might wish to become, students of any of its colleges.

(5) In exercising its functions, a regional strategic body is to—

(a) have regard to the desirability of enabling, encouraging and improving participation in fundable further education and fundable higher education by persons belonging to any socio-economic group which the regional strategic body reasonably considers to be under-represented in such education; and

(b) in particular, promote collaboration and sharing of good practice between its colleges in relation to enabling, encouraging and improving such participation.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), “skills needs” means any requirement or desirability for skills or knowledge which appears to the regional strategic body—

(a) to exist for the time being or be likely to exist in the future; and

(b) to be capable of being addressed (wholly or partly) by the provision of fundable further education or fundable higher education.

(7) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) and (c), “issues” means issues which appear to the regional strategic body—

(a) to exist for the time being or be likely to exist in the future; and

(b) to be capable of being addressed (wholly or partly) by the provision of fundable further education or fundable higher education.

(8) For the purposes of subsection (5), a socio-economic group is to be treated as under-represented in fundable further education or fundable higher education if participation in such education by persons in that group is disproportionately low.

(9) A regional strategic body may take into account any social or economic characteristics which it considers appropriate when determining which groups are to constitute “socio-economic groups” for the purposes of subsection (5).

(10) A regional strategic body is to have regard to the under-represented socio-economic groups identified by the Council for the purposes of section 20(4A) when determining—

(a) which groups are to constitute “socio-economic groups” for the purposes of subsection (5); and

(b) whether a socio-economic group so determined is under-represented in fundable further education or fundable higher education.]