New Campus Glasgow: Strategic Benefits Analysis
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5.6 Among the three colleges currently, there is some variation in the costs of delivery
per weighted sum. At a very crude level, if all three colleges delivered on a par with the most
efficient Glasgow college currently (Stow College, with a cost per Weighted SUM of £190),
then the combined saving across all three colleges would be around £2.9m, which represents
6% of current delivery costs.
5.7 However, it is equally important to note that the benefits from efficiency savings can
take several years to realise - often involving a period where costs actually increase because
of the need to effectively 'join-up' separate institutions activity before savings can be made.
5.8 As well as the financial benefits from shared services, the new campus can also offer
benefits in terms of energy/environmental efficiencies. The What next report highlights the
'current imperative' to design buildings which are sustainable and which also 'enhance
learners' understanding of sustainability'. The new campus can contribute to this agenda by
delivering through the new buildings adopting the highest forms of sustainable design and
construction - which could potentially see the new campus making use of features such as
improved insulation, natural ventilation, Combined Heat and Power (CHP), and microgeneration
of energy through photovoltaics or wind power. The new Queen Margaret
University campus at Craighall for example creates 75% less CO2 than the university's old
campus spread across three sites. Recent Scottish college new builds have secured very
high BREEAM ratings and it would be expected that NGC would adopt the best practices from
such examples.
Profile and 'internationalisation'
5.9 The SFC Corporate Plan 2006-9 stresses the role that colleges and universities
should play in supporting Scotland's international ambitions. The Scottish Government
remains strongly committed to internationalisation and an outward-looking Scotland.
5.10 It is noted elsewhere in this report that the new campus is likely to raise the profile of
the colleges to both learners and employers in Scotland. In addition, stakeholders believe that
the new campus is also likely to raise the profile of the colleges to the international audience,
leading to a potential increased levels of recruitment from overseas students, the current
student visa problems notwithstanding
5.11 The report 'International Activity in Scotland's Colleges' was published by HMIE for
the SFC in November 2008. It finds that the level of global competition faced by Scotland's
colleges in recruiting international learners is significant and growing. The report finds trade
missions and independent visits by colleges to countries from which they recruited are
extremely effective in terms of relationship building, recruitment and achievement of strategic
aims. Nonetheless, the costs of such visits and trade missions is extremely high, and the
HMIE raises the scope for greater levels of collaboration between colleges (which, it notes,
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Appendix 13: Economic Impact Report