College Development Network

🏆 Only TWO WEEKS left to enter the CDN College Awards 2026!

Every day, colleges across Scotland are transforming lives, strengthening communities, driving innovation, and creating opportunities for learners to thrive.

The are your chance to showcase those achievements on a national stage.

Whether you're celebrating an inspiring student, an outstanding staff member, a groundbreaking project, or a college initiative making a real impact, we want to hear your story.

✨ Recognise excellence
✨ Share success
✨ Inspire the sector

📅 Entry deadline: Wednesday 24 June 2026

Submit your entry today and join us in celebrating the people and projects shaping the future of Scotland's colleges.

College Awards 2026 - College Development Network These awards celebrate the talent, dedication, and achievements of colleges, their staff, and learners, offering a unique platform to showcase excellence, innovation, and impact across the sector.

Shaping Leaders for a Complex World 🌍

Today’s education leaders are facing challenging times. They need clarity, resilience, and the confidence to inspire others while leading through change.

The Executive Leadership Series is a high-impact programme for current and aspiring senior leaders across education and related sectors. It creates the space to reflect, grow, and develop leadership that is practical, ethical, and impactful alongside peers facing similar opportunities and challenges.

Designed for leaders ready to step up:
• Current executive leaders seeking to sharpen specific skills
• Aspiring senior leaders preparing for executive roles
• Professionals who value collaboration, reflection, and peer learning

Open to colleges, universities, and education-related organisations.

Ready to invest in your leadership journey?

📩 Discover more and express your interest today ✨
www.cdn.ac.uk/programme/executive-leadership-series/

Executive Leadership Series - College Development Network A series for aspiring senior leaders to develop their skills and expand their network, with the option to choose from various workshops.

📢 New blog: Creating Safer Colleges: Strengthening Our Collective Response to Gender-Based Violence

Gender-based violence and harassment continue to affect the safety, wellbeing and participation of students and staff across Scotland's colleges.

In her latest blog, Dr Gail Toms, CDN Delivery and Engagement Partner and co-editor of the toolkit, introduces Creating Safer Colleges: A Practical Toolkit to Strengthen College Responses to GBV and Harassment.

Developed by CDN and Colleges Scotland in partnership with colleges, the CDN EDI Network, EmilyTest, R**e Crisis Scotland, Women's Aid Services, Amina, White Ribbon Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council and the Scottish Government, the toolkit provides practical guidance, sector insights and real-world examples to help colleges strengthen their prevention and response to gender-based violence and harassment.

Read the blog to find out how collaboration across the sector is helping create safer, more inclusive learning and working environments across Scotland's colleges.

🔗 Read the blog post:

Creating Safer Colleges: Strengthening Our Collective Response to Gender-Based Violence - College Development Network This blog post, written by CDN’s Delivery and Engagement Partner and co-editor of the toolkit, Dr Gail Toms, introduces Creating Safer Colleges: A Practical Toolkit to Strengthen College Responses to GBV and Harassment. It explores how the toolkit supports Scotland’s colleges to strengthen preve...

Huge congratulations to three HND Graphic Design students from Edinburgh College, who achieved an outstanding result in the Show Racism the Red Card competition, taking 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the College category.

It’s fantastic to celebrate their achievement, particularly following the recent CDN Equality Strategic Network campaign - a collaborative initiative across Scotland’s colleges highlighting a shared commitment to tackling racism and promoting inclusion in further education. Discover campaign here: https://bit.ly/4uT9cbQ

A brilliant success - well done to all three students 👏

Read the Edinburgh College news story here: https://bit.ly/4eonlaU

Graphic Design students recognised at national Show Racism the Red Card Awards | Edinburgh College Three of the College’s talented HND Graphic Design students have achieved a clean sweep in this year’s Show Racism the Red Card competition, securing first, second and third place in the College category, an outstanding success they should all be proud of.

Missed yesterday's Preparing for Parliamentary Committees session? There's still time to join us.

📅 7 September

Preparing for Parliamentary Committees: A Practical Masterclass for Board Members and Senior Leaders

Delivered by CDN and Colleges Scotland in partnership with Pinsent Masons, this exclusive half-day masterclass will provide senior leaders and board members with the knowledge, confidence and practical skills needed to give evidence to parliamentary committees.

Find out more and book your place today:

Preparing for Parliamentary Committees Facilitated by Andrew Henderson, Director of Public Policy and Strategic Communications, Pinsent Masons.

🌍 : Putting Inclusion at the Heart of Your Work

Discover Equality Matters, CDN’s monthly digest designed to support staff in embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion across colleges.

Each edition connects the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to inclusive leadership, offering practical resources, insights, and upcoming events to support your practice.

📌 The June issue focuses on celebrating diversity and fostering inclusion, highlighting the importance of recognising and valuing our students.

👉 View the June issue here: https://bit.ly/43MySe0

📣 The May Update is now live!

This month’s edition brings together key developments, opportunities, and sector insight from across Scotland’s college and tertiary education community - showcasing the work happening to strengthen leadership, inclusion, and innovation across the sector.

This issue features:

🛡️ Creating Safer Colleges – GBV & harassment toolkit launched to support safer, more inclusive learning environments
🏛️ Preparing for Parliamentary Committees (Pinsent Masons Masterclass) – building confidence in evidence-giving for senior leaders
🚀 CDN Leadership Programmes 2026/27 – applications now open across Emerging, Strategic, Executive, and Coaching pathways
🏆 CDN 2026 – celebrating excellence, innovation, and achievement across Scotland’s colleges
🤝 STEP Network Event & Conference – highlighting collaboration, belonging, and inclusive learner journeys
🔬 Insights & Innovations – FEAST is coming, a new space for experimentation, agency, and transformation

Plus much more...

📖 Read the full update here:
https://bit.ly/4dMD7ej

Scotland’s tertiary sector came together in force this week for STEP Network event 8 and the 2026 STEP Conference at Glasgow Caledonian University.

🤝 More than 200 delegates from colleges, universities and partner organisations explored belonging, inclusion and learner transitions through keynotes, workshops, lightning talks and collaborative discussion.

From LEGO® Serious Play to thought-provoking sessions from Bethany Rose and Robin Ince, the events highlighted the power of collaboration in shaping inclusive and empowering learner journeys across Scotland.🧩

📖 Read more about the events and the ongoing work of Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP):

Scotland’s tertiary sector gathers in force for STEP Network event 8 and national conference on learner journeys - College Development Network Scotland’s tertiary sector came together in force this week as Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP) hosted a vibrant programme of events at Glasgow Caledonian University, leading to a high-demand national conference attended by more than 200 delegates from across Scotland. The week b...

We’re proud to launch Creating Safer Colleges: A practical toolkit to strengthen college responses to GBV and harassment - a new collaborative resource from CDN and Colleges Scotland.

Developed with colleges, stakeholders, and specialist partners, the toolkit brings together practical guidance and sector expertise to support prevention, response, and support around gender-based violence and harassment across Scotland’s colleges.

The resource builds on the findings of our 2025 report, Colleges’ Approach to Tackling Gender-based Violence and Harassment, and responds directly to the needs identified by colleges across the sector.

At its heart is a shared commitment to creating learning and working environments where every student and member of staff feels respected, included, and safe.

👉 Read the toolkit here:

Creating Safer Colleges: A practical toolkit to strengthen college responses to gender-based violence (GBV) and harassment - College Development Network CDN in partnership with Colleges Scotland and stakeholders across the sector, has launched Creating Safer Colleges – A practical Toolkit to Strengthen Colllege Responses to GBV and Harassment.