An annual prize to honour the world-renowned Edinburgh University scientist who has given his name to the Higgs boson is to be announced by the First Minister, launching a week showcasing Scottish science.
The annual Higgs Prize will be open to Scottish school students who excel in physics. It will be formally launched by the First Minister and Professor Peter Higgs at a reception at the First Minister’s official residence on Tuesday 5 February.
Tag Archives: Scottish Government
European animal life – competition for primary schools
The new European Parliament office in Scotland competition for primary pupils asks them to create images to illustrate a 2013 Calendar on the theme of ‘Europe’s rich Animal Kingdom’. The competition is now open for entries to be submitted until the deadline of 9th October.
The organisers are especially keen to see artwork of some of the rarer European animals, birds and insects. The diversity of species which live in Europe provides plenty of scope for creative young people.
The artwork will be judged by a panel of MEPs and European Parliament officials, with prizes and a presentation to the winner. The winner of the competition will feature in a calendar made up of children’s drawings from all over Europe, and will also illustrate one month, along with eleven runners up, in the official EP Office in Scotland 2013 calendar. All schools entering the competition will receive a copy of the finished calendar, and a selection of the illustrations will also be exhibited at the EP Office in Edinburgh.
Good luck to all the Scottish children who take part.
Fife regional college lead confirmed
Education Secretary Michael Russell has confirmed that Tony Jakimciw has been invited to lead regional college planning in Fife. Mr Jakimciw, currently Principal of Dumfries and Galloway College, will work with the Fife colleges and other interested parties to ensure college courses in the region best meet the needs of learners and local employers.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/07/fife-college-region050712
Additional funding for cultural heritage
Investment in projects that will enhance and protect the fabric of Scotland’s cultural heritage has been welcomed by Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop. The £11.3 million additional funding for “shovel-ready” projects announced on 27 June will not only will boost the Scottish economy, but will also bring social and community benefits across Scotland.
Click here for more details
People and Communities Fund
The Scottish Government has launched the People and Communities Fund. The fund is aimed at registered social landlords and other community anchor organisations such as community development trusts. There are two main priorities for the investment: employability and preventative action.
There will be at least £6m available for allocation in each of the three years from 2012/13 to 2014/15. This funding is available to organisations to allow them to deliver the services and/or projects that have been identified by the community as helping it achieve its outcomes.
15 month extension to the current version of glow
The Scottish Government will continue to fund the current version of glow at the same time as planning the introduction of a new version
A notice has been published (see the link below) signalling the Scottish Government’s intention to extend the current Glow contract with RM Education for 15 months after its expiry on 15 September this year. The contract will be signed after a 10 day standstill period.
In parallel the Scottish Government is continuing with the tender exercise for a new ‘Integrated Application Suite’ for Glow (tools and services such as email, calendar, web conferencing etc). We expect to make a decision on this by the end of May. For reasons of commercial sensitivity we cannot comment on this process in any further detail.
The future of Glow must focus on the needs of the pupils and teachers who use it, and this step has been taken to secure continuity of service for Glow users. Education Scotland and the Scottish Government are committed to working with these users, ADES and others stakeholders as we transition towards a new Glow.
Embedding Creativity Across Learning
Creativity and You! Embedding Creativity Across Learning – May 25, Glasgow Science Centre, 10am – 3.30pm
The Scottish Government, Education Scotland and Creative Scotland are working in partnership to deliver a national event designed to showcase innovation across teaching and learning in a range of subjects beyond the expressive arts. Directors of Education have been invited to attend together with teacher colleagues from different subject backgrounds.
Click here for more info
The Scottish Government
NEW FINDINGS PUBLISHED ON 10 MAY 2012
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People said:
“The Scottish Government wants our country to be the best place for children to grow up and studies such as Growing up in Scotland (GUS) provide uniquely Scottish information to help realise that vision.
“The findings help our understanding of what makes the best start in life, how to achieve that for our children and how to measure the progress already made.
“This government is committed to supporting children and families and recognises that getting it right in the early years is essential. These findings will be hugely helpful to us as well as our partners working across the early years in Scotland.’’
Click here for more info
News: Creativity in Scottish Education
Read the Fertile Minds article in the Holyrood magazine which discusses creativity in Scottish Education from a political perspective.
‘The word on the Leviathan’s lips this year is “creativity”. But is the Scottish education system ready to embrace truly new ways of learning?’
Putting Learners at the Centre – responses
The consultation responses to the Scottish Government’s Putting Learners at the Centre consultation paper on post 16 education launched in September 2011 (which also contained the original proposal for a new national strategy for Community Learning and Development), and the Scottish Government’s Report of Responses have now been published
