Dundee and Angus (D&A) College has once again taken top spot among Scotland’s colleges according to national performance indicators.
New figures from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) show D&A was best in the country for student outcomes for full-time FE courses and was pipped by only 0.8% for full-time HE courses.
It is the third consecutive year that D&A College has been top in one or other of these measures.
The college continues to surpass national averages in terms of student success in a range of categories including full-time HE courses, part-time HE courses, and young students aged 18 and under.
In all age groups at D&A College students performed better than the national average.
Pointing out the combined HE and FE figures showed D&A College as the best in the country, Principal Grant Ritchie congratulated college staff.
“This is the third year we have proved that we are leading the sector,” he said.
“The real importance of these figures is that they show that our students are indeed succeeding.”
In a series of staff briefings, the principal, while striking a congratulatory tone, also sent staff a clear message that there was no room for complacency.
“We can stand still and see other organisation overtake us or face the challenge of achieving even greater things.
“Projections of employment opportunities in Dundee and Angus in coming years indicate a greater demand for HND level attainment from our students, we must meet this challenge and help drive up the economy of this area.”
The SFC figures track student outcomes for the academic year 2015-16.
The numbers of students who complete courses successfully are expressed as a national percentage and individual college figures can be compared with the national average.
D&A also maintained above average results for students from deprived areas.
Every post code area in Scotland has a Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation indicator, so the SFC and individual colleges can track performance of students from these areas.
Students from the poorest postcode areas normally attain poorly but D&A College figures buck this trend.
