New Campus Glasgow: Strategic Benefits Analysis
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6.32 The total impact of these additional learners is shown in the table below. The net
impact of NCG is to attract an additional 400 international learners, generating net
expenditure within Glasgow of £1.2m.
Table 6.4 Net impact of additional international learners
Additional
international
learners 400
Spend per head £5,320
Gross impact £2,128,000
Additionality 1
Displacement 0.5
Leakage 0.9
Multipliers 1.3
Net impact £1,244,880
6.33 The other area where NCG may generate some additional economic impact is
through the increased expenditure within higher profile service areas. At this stage it is difficult
to quantify this impact, in part because we do not have access to information on current
expenditure within these areas, and in part because the precise scale of facilities within the
new campus is not yet clear. However, what is clear is that the net impacts of this spend will
be low, given that retail expenditure is characterised by high (often 90%) displacement rates
(in other words, the bulk of any additional public expenditure on the new campus' higher
profile service areas will represent displacement from the city's existing service businesses).
Conclusions
6.34 There is a significant emphasis in national policy in encouraging employer demand
for skills, and in colleges becoming more flexible in response to employer needs. Skills for
Scotland sees providers working more closely with business to develop courses that meet
business need, to provide high quality learning opportunities that have value in the workplace.
Similarly, the Government's response to Promoting Excellence also highlights the role that
colleges can play in improving the flow of knowledge between colleges and business.
6.35 New Campus Glasgow will contribute to this agenda. By planning provision across
joined-up curriculum institutes, business should have a simpler route through which to engage
with all city centre colleges. This will overcome the sense that currently exists within the
business community that colleges' provision overlaps and that competition between the
college acts as a barrier to business being able to access the most appropriate opportunities.
Colleges themselves will be able to share information more readily on the skills needs of
Glasgow's business community, and, through economies of scale and pooling of expertise,
should be able to provide a more responsive and tailored offer - including more 'bite-sized'
courses, more provision in evenings and weekends, and more specific provision that is
tailored to specific business needs.
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Appendix 13: Economic Impact Report