HN Modernisation Project - Annual Report

umbrella image On behalf of SQA, John Young welcomed the delegates to the fifth annual HN conference and expressed his delight at the range of organisations, institutions and groups represented.

He said that almost four years of HN modernisation had been completed and that this highly ambitious programme was now coming into the home straight. The objectives of updating and rationalising the HN catalogue, reducing the assessment burden, and obtaining increased funding to support material production had all been realised. In addition, closer alignment of HNC/Ds to National Occupational Standards, firmer partnerships with Sector Skills Councils, flexibility and accessibility had also been achieved.

Rationalisation had produced a reduction of Units from 10,000 to 6,000 and of Group Awards from 800 to 271. John said that the willingness of Scotland’s Colleges to work in co-operation had achieved this rationalisation and maximised the finite resources available and this had generated great benefits for the whole sector. Moreover, this model of partnership had been recognised by the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform as an example of outstanding good practice in the public sector.

John said that, at the end of April 2007, 158 HNC/Ds had been revised. The focus for the remainder of the project would be on the specialist collaborative and single centre awards, which would be completed by December 2008. Some challenges still remained such as the implementation of Graded Units and assessment load. However, SQA and partners were working together to look at ways of assisting colleges with these issues.

Looking to the future, John noted that some of the HNC/Ds that were revised and validated at the beginning of the project (2003/4) would soon be due for review. SQA would therefore continue to publish the HN Review Schedule beyond the life of the HN Modernisation Project. This meant there would be two schedules to view on the web. One would be the HN Modernisation Schedule, which would include all those still to be modernised. The other would be the HN Review Schedule, which would include those HN which had been modernised but which were now subject to the minimum five year review. John reminded participants that there would be no further funding for the latter schedule.

In closing, John thanked Anniesland College which on behalf of the HNKPG had effectively and efficiently managed and distributed the funds made available from the Scottish Funding Council for the HN Modernisation Project.