Student life
Study Choices
People choose to study with us for all sorts of reasons: to gain qualifications; improve skills; gain employment; for personal and professional development or to enhance their business.
About to Leave School?
Why not choose to study full time with us – one of the newest and fastest growing colleges in Scotland. With college centres throughout the Highlands, you have the opportunity to study in one of the most beautiful parts of the world and to gain the qualifications you need to enter the world of work or to help you go on to a higher level of study. We have courses at all levels that can help you onto your chosen career path – and all of them can be studied near to home, if that is your choice, with the support of friendly local staff. We offer a range of further and higher education courses from access through to degree and postgraduate level – there will definitely be something for you.
Returning to Study?
We have Access courses to help you back into study if you have been away for a while – and courses that are part time, or can be studied at home if you want to take things slowly. Many of our students fit study around part time work, so contact us if you would like to know more.
Already Working?
Perhaps you are already working and are keen to develop your professional skills? We have something for you too. We offer a range of short courses suitable for professional development and we have a range of SVQ qualifications open to employees through Modern Apprenticeship initiatives - contact us to find out more.
Looking for Work?
We are also committed to helping unemployed people to return to work and offer a number of initiatives including the “Work Readiness Programme”. Several of our college centres offer drop in sessions for support and advice so please get in touch with us to find out more.
Training for Business?
BEST is our business training division…
Business, Enterprise, Solutions & Training, “doing the BEST for your business” works with businesses to identify and deliver a comprehensive range of business training - from First Aid to Chainsaws, Food Hygiene to Day Skipper - for businesses and organisations, large and small, covering all sectors across the West Highlands.
Training courses will often be delivered locally via the college’s network of 10 centres.
We are determined to be the college YOU choose because we provide excellent learning , training and support for ALL students, businesses and rural communities - we are really looking forward to hearing from you!
How will I study?
Our network of ten college centres is spread throughout the West Highlands of Scotland. They offer a range of modern facilities and a supportive and encouraging environment in which to study.
For our full time students, we offer a very different learning experience to that of many other colleges.
Some of our courses are only available in certain locations. Others are available in any of our centres using video conferencing and UHI virtual learning environments.
Individual course pages will tell you where your course is based and how it is delivered.
Online learning with UHI West Highland
So how can you study a course if you don’t live near the centre where it is based?
UHI has equipped all its partner colleges and their local centres with web based learning technologies. College staff are there to familiarise you and support you in this unique learning experience.
What methods you use to study your course will vary depending on your chosen course and venue but it’s likely that you will be using some or all of the following online learning resources.
Video Conference (VC)
VC technology enables you to connect to staff and students at any number of UHI centres.
Using cameras and microphones, this technology allows you to see and hear your tutor and other class members. You can share common learning resources and materials on screen. VC can be accessed in a dedicated VC room with a large screen or it can be accessed on a laptop or desktop computer. You may share the facility with a group of students or you may be on your own.
Brightspace, Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
This web based system connects you to your online learning materials, online guidance and support and enables you to access and submit course assessments. You can talk with your tutors and other students in your online classroom through discussion boards, forums and live chat.
Having your say
We believe in your involvement in college life.
Your class will elect a class representative who will act as a spokesperson and be willing to speak to teaching staff about any concerns the class may have about the learning and teaching process.
Your class will also elect a student representative to help develop the social side of college life. They will be supported by and work closely with the student liaison officers.
Student reps feed in opinions, issues and suggestion to the UHI West Highland Student Association. They also represent their classmates at course committee meetings and bring forward any issues the class may have. The student rep then feeds back to their classmates. A member of the Student Association sits on UHI West Highland board meetings so they have the opportunity to put forward your viewpoint at the highest level. Student reps also have the opportunity to sit on the Quality and Academic Standards Committee and the Health and Safety Committees. This ensures that your voice is well represented at a strategic level in the college.
Student associations
HISA
The Highlands and Islands Students’ Association (HISA) is a new students’ association. HISA is a tertiary students’ association that represents the interests of further and higher education students, no matter how they study or what they study. Its structure is unique and reflects the composition of the university partnership.
HISA represents the interests of all students at the University of the Highlands and Islands and its thirteen academic partners at a regional level. It also represents the local interests of students at nine academic partners. A local structure for HISA will be established and, in early October, our students will be able to vote for a Depute President to represent them. HISA will be aligned and integrated with our existing systems for student representation. Students at UHI Inverness, UHI Perth and UHI Sabhal Mòr Ostaig will continue to be represented by their existing local students’ association on local matters (see below).
HISA aims to make sure your student voice is at the heart of all decisions about learning and teaching and your student experience.
Contact HISA:
General enquiries: hisa.enquiries@uhi.ac.uk
Visit www.hisa.uhi.ac.uk find out more.
SPARQS (student participation in quality Scotland)
Sparqs was created in 2003 to ensure that students in Scotland are supported in their involvement in the management of quality assurance and enhancement in Scotland’s Colleges and Universities. Every course in Scotland has a student that takes on the role of the course representative. Their role is to represent their fellow students by seeking feedback from them about their course and working with staff to improve the learning experience.
To become a course representative you can put yourself forward during class elections or speak to your tutor who will be able to advise you of the process.
Once elected, you will have the opportunity to attend a range of training sessions to help you to be effective in your role.
NUS Extra Cards
The Extra Card costs £11.00 and gives you access to a wide range of discounts and special offers. You can apply online for your Extra Card at: www.nusextra.co.uk
'Looked after' students
At UHI West Highland we are committed to enabling ALL students to realise their potential in an atmosphere of choice, opportunity and support. However, we realise that not all students are the same and we are committed to increasing the number of young people in and leaving care who progress through and succeed in education.
In April 2015 the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 came into effect and under its terms all 16+ education providers were named as Corporate Parents. We take the duties and responsibilities assigned to us under this Act very seriously and offer a personalised service to all our care leavers and looked after children.
We offer several opportunities for young people to tell us about their background and this triggers a meeting with the Student Services Team who will assist them with applications, funding and extended learning support needs. Any information disclosed is treated with the greatest confidentiality.
Contact the Student Services Team for more information.