City of Glasgow College Upholds its STEM Assured Status

The City of Glasgow College (CoGC) has smashed its previous record of scores in all categories of the STEM Assured Standard.

Paul Little, Principal & Chief Executive of City of Glasgow College, said:

“I am absolutely delighted that we have yet again achieved STEM Assured Status, and especially so, given we have been awarded Best Practice within each of the six category areas overall. Achieving the STEM Assured Standard also denotes and promotes a strategic commitment to developing scientific and technical excellence that has been validated independently, by a panel of experts from industry and academia."

The STEM Assured Standard was initially conferred by the late HM The Queen in March 2011. It remains to be the only recognised Standard that provides independent, industry-backed accreditation of an institution's Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics provision.  It is an outcome-based Standard that serves as a potent catalyst for assisting educational institutions in forging credible collaborations, rejuvenating their STEM capabilities, and attracting new revenue streams. To achieve the STEM Assured status, the education provider must meet several criteria that are reviewed annually, whilst the status lasts for 3 years. They include demonstration of the following:

• Strategic alignment to industry workforce requirements for knowledge, skills and competencies, now and, into the future;
• A multidisciplinary framework that emulates and reflects real-world industrial settings and scenarios;
• Employability and associated transferrable abilities baked into the STEM curriculum;
• Innovation as the driver for change in all aspect of STEM-related curriculum design and delivery enriching student and learner journeys;
• Continuous appraisal of impact and application of new and emerging technologies and practices;
• Systematic approaches to engagements with employers and stakeholders, and the broader national and sectoral ecosystems.

The STEM Assured Status demonstrates a prestigious achievement and an official statement on the quality of a provider’s STEM education.

Professor Sa’ad Sam Medhat, IKE Institute and STEM Foundation CEO said:

"COGC continues to challenge norms and conventions; they explore and embrace new and emerging technologies and practices, and deliver competitive professionalism.  Achieving a new record by City of Glasgow Colleges in all of the STEM Assured categories is a  great victory for the rigorous and dedicated college leadership, staff and students. The concerted drive for digitalisation and creating effective augmented learning environments on par with some of the most progressive organisations internationally. The Validation Panel members - that included senior industrialists from multinational corporations and academics - were particularly impressed by the college’s unparalleled focus on applied and near market research to strengthen its baseline of scholarly activities and capabilities in STEM-related subjects.  Congratulations to CoGC on a job well done! 

 The final words go to Principal, Dr Little.

“The Validation Panel’s glowing report is a terrific endorsement of another superb Team City effort and represents an extremely helpful validation of the College as a UK Best Practice tertiary institution. STEM education has a vital role in delivering real benefits to our students, and our links with industry create a talent pipeline that is work ready and able to tackle the skills gaps across sectors.”