Reflecting this, Edinburgh College’s Strategic Plan, published in 2023, identifies research and innovation activity as a critical success factor in delivering the ambitions outlined in the framework. In addition, several national and regional policy objectives also place importance on enhancing the breadth, quality and impact of research activity across Scotland, and the rest of the UK.

The Edinburgh College Research Plan has been developed in response to the above strategic ambitions and identifies three aims: to enhance the breadth, quality, and impact of research activity at Edinburgh College.

Recent Research Publications

Our Capital, Our College

This report provides an overview of Edinburgh College’s reach, offers insight into its social and economic impact, and offers a snapshot of the crucial role it plays, not just as a place of social sanctuary and cultural diversity, but also as a hub of economic innovation for the Edinburgh city region. It will be the first of a series of upcoming reports examining the college’s social and economic impact.

Edinburgh College 10th Anniversary: A Decade and more of Educating Edinburgh and the Lothians

To mark the 10th anniversary of Edinburgh College, a project was undertaken to collate and catalogue the history and archives of Edinburgh College and its legacy institutions. This report describes the work undertaken as part of that project and gives an insight into the College’s origins and its impact in the region over many decades.

Our Capital, Our Workforce

This report examines employer perspectives on the region’s labour market and skills system, and explores the College’s role in supporting employers with the ongoing recruitment and upskilling challenges they face. The report draws on the results of a 30-question survey conducted with employers across the region, as well as in-depth interviews with a smaller group of employers that explored issues related to recruitment, retention, and skills policy in more detail.