About Next Generation Higher National Qualifications

We are now adapting our Higher National qualifications to give learners the skills they need to thrive in the modern workplace. We’re currently referring to the adapted qualifications as  Next Generation Higher National (or NextGen: HN) qualifications.

What's different about NextGen: HN?

NextGen HNCs and HNDs are stand-alone qualifications, each made up of 120 SCQF credit points. Here are some other ways they differ from existing HNs:

Use the tabs below to open each section individually. Alternatively you can show all the sections.

  • HNC Accounting
  • HND Accounting
  • HNC Acting and Performance
  • HND Acting and Performance
  • HNC Administration and Digital Business Technologies
  • HNC Agriculture
  • HND Agriculture
  • HNC Beauty Therapy
  • HNC Childhood Practice
  • HNC Complementary Therapies
  • HNC Computing
  • HND Computer Science 
  • HNC Dance 
  • HND Data Science 
  • HNC Engineering
  • HND Engineering
  • HNC eSports
  • HNC Healthcare Practice - Midwifery pathway
  • HNC Healthcare Practice - Nursing pathway
  • HNC Horticulture
  • HND Horticulture
  • HND Networking and Cloud Infrastructure
  • HNC Physical Activity and Health
  • HND Physical Activity and Health
  • HNC Social Sciences
  • HND Social Sciences
  • HNC Social Services
  • HND Software Development
  • HNC Television
  • HND Television
  • HND Radio and Podcasting

 

 

Development of NextGen: HNs

In the first phase of the project each NextGen: HN qualification was initially developed as a ‘prototype’, which was then piloted and evaluated. NextGen: HN prototypes are valid qualifications, sitting at SCQF Level 7 (HNC) and Level 8 (HND). Now that our prototype qualifications have been piloted and evaluated we are continuing to work through validating these awards

This first phase of prototyping and piloting has finished and the current phase of work will see us integrate everything good that we have learned, tested and evaluated and build that into our HN development process for all future qualifications that are reviewed.

The first phase of the NextGen: HN project employed a service design development model, focusing on meeting the needs of learners and centres, with an emphasis on continuous improvement and collaboration.

This has involved prototype development in collaboration with subject matter experts and then pilot delivery and evaluation. This approach allowed us to challenge and evaluate aspects such as our design principles, grading models and approach to quality assurance.

This iterative development approach and the regular evaluation and feedback from learners, centres, deliverers, staff and other stakeholders has helped us learn lessons from pilot delivery and refine our approaches to inform the final model for NextGen: HN qualifications.

Following the completion of this  phase of prototype development and pilot delivery, we are now applying the final NextGen: HN model to selected  subject areas that are developed from January 2025 onwards identified through operational planning.

This means that in session 2025-26, current pilot centres are delivering the newly validated NextGen: HN qualifications under a restricted delivery model.

From session 2026-27 onwards, there will be no further restriction on the delivery of NextGen: HN qualifications.

HNC Accounting

  • Edinburgh College
  • City of Glasgow College
  • UHI Inverness

HND Accounting

  • City of Glasgow College

HNC Acting and Performance

  • Glasgow Kelvin College
  • West College Scotland

HND Acting and Performance

  • Glasgow Kelvin College
  • West College Scotland

HNC Agriculture

  • Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)

HND Agriculture

  • Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)

HNC Childhood Practice

  • Glasgow Clyde College
  • South Lanarkshire College

HNC Computing

  • New College Lanarkshire
  • NESCOL
  • City of Glasgow College

HNC Engineering

  • UHI - Engineering Systems pathway
  • City of Glasgow College - Mechanical Engineering pathway

HNC Horticulture

  • Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
  • UHI

HND Horticulture

  • Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
  • UHI

HND Networking and Cloud Infrastructure

  • NESCOL
  • New College Lanarkshire

HNC Physical Activity and Health

  • Dundee and Angus College
  • New College Lanarkshire
  • Glasgow Clyde College

HND Physical Activity and Health

  • Dundee and Angus College
  • New College Lanarkshire

HNC Social Sciences

  • Dumfries and Galloway College
  • West College Scotland

HND Social Sciences

  • West College Scotland

HNC Social Services

  • Ayrshire College
  • Dundee and Angus College
  • VSA SVQ Centre

HND Software Development

  • NESCOL
  • New College Lanarkshire

HNC Television

  • City of Glasgow College (Delivering Centre)
  • West College Scotland (Delivering Centre)
  • Edinburgh College (Delivering Centre)
  • New College Lanarkshire (Delivering Centre)
  • NESCOL (Delivering Centre)

HND Television

  • City of Glasgow College (Delivering Centre)
  • West College Scotland (Delivering Centre)
  • Edinburgh College (Delivering Centre)
  • New College Lanarkshire (Delivering Centre)
  • NESCOL (Delivering Centre)

HNC Accounting

  • Edinburgh College

HND Accounting

  • Edinburgh College
  • City of Glasgow College

HNC Acting and Performance

  • Glasgow Kelvin College
  • West College Scotland

HNC Agriculture

  • Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)

HND Agriculture

  • Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)

HNC Childhood Practice

  • Glasgow Clyde College
  • South Lanarkshire College

HNC Computing

  • New College Lanarkshire
  • NESCOL

HNC Engineering (Engineering Systems)

  • UHI

HNC Horticulture

  • Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
  • UHI

HND Horticulture

  • Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
  • UHI

HND Networking and Cloud Infrastructure

  • NESCOL
  • New College Lanarkshire

HNC Physical Activity and Health

  • Dundee and Angus College
  • New College Lanarkshire

HND Physical Activity and Health

  • Dundee and Angus College
  • New College Lanarkshire

HND Radio

  • City of Glasgow College

HNC Social Sciences

  • Dumfries and Galloway College
  • West College Scotland

HND Social Sciences

  • West College Scotland

HNC Social Services

  • Ayrshire College
  • Dundee and Angus College
  • VSA SVQ Centre

HND Software Development

  • NESCOL
  • New College Lanarkshire

HNC Television

  • Edinburgh College
  • New College Lanarkshire
  • NESCOL

HND Television

  • Edinburgh College
  • New College Lanarkshire
  • NESCOL

We’re continuing to develop the following NextGen: HN qualifications:

  • HND Administration Management and Digital Business Technologies
  • HND Beauty Therapy
  • HND Dance
  • HND Complementary Therapies
  • HNC Fashion and Textiles Industries
  • HND Fashion and Textiles Industries
  • HNC Healthcare Practice - AHP - Paramedic
  • HNC Healthcare Practice - AHP - Physiotherapy
  • HNC Healthcare Practice - AHP - Speech & Language Therapy

We’ll provide more information about when when these qualifications will be available in due course.

  • What is NextGen: HN? - this Academy module gives an overview of the programme
  • Academy - other learning modules on NextGen: HN are also available
  • Case studies - how we worked with centres to develop and pilot the first NextGen: HNs
  • Blogs - keep up to date by reading the NextGen: HN blog