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City of Glasgow College's provision is now very much demand
led, informed by a process that involves close engagement with
employers. There is an emphasis on progression into work, rather
than simply qualification acquisition. Little is clear that City of
Glasgow is a powerhouse for technical and professional education
that fills a clear niche in Glasgow and in Scotland. The college
understands its market, and hence is not in competition with
adjacent universities. That being said, he would like to see the
dominant higher education element (73 per cent) of his college
recognised with more formal differentiation.
Belfast and Glasgow have similar cultural, industrial profiles,
and the colleges' leadership of space and thinking have evolved
along parallel lines. McGivern, in Belfast, believes in bringing into
her institution managers who, like herself, do not have college
backgrounds. Only one of her top-tier four managers is from the
further education system. The first phase of regenerating Belfast
Metropolitan College was a wholesale restructure. The second
was to establish the college as an anchor institution, building on
the heritage capital generated around the Titanic, restoring not
just civic pride but an internal pride in the college. It is now in a
strong place, with results rising year on year, and it has become
part of the city dialogue. What the college has brought to
Belfast has also defined its internal identity. The college vision is
underpinned by a digitalised performance framework. McGivern
wants a college that can change direction during the course of a
term, rather than treading water until the end of the year.
McGivern also seeks an ethos of 'vim and vigor'. Having
established a central value system, the college has the data to
divert resources to the wider economic benefit. She believes
that universities, as peer tertiary institutions, just cannot move
that quickly. Thus, a rapidly growing cyber-security industry has
established links with the College rather than a university for
regional high-skill provision. McGivern is clear that links with
employers and industry should come not through just one
gatekeeper; so, in her college, it is not only the hierarchy who
go out to open doors. All staff are encouraged to go into the