UHI Inverness confirms position as top-performing college

UHI Inverness has confirmed its position as one of the top performing colleges in Scotland by achieving impressive pass rates for full-time further education students, according to published national performance indicators. It built on this success by entering the 2025/26 academic year with a 10% rise in student enrolments and a continued growth in apprentice numbers.

The Early Student Experience Survey at UHI Inverness returned a 96% student satisfaction rate for the third year in a row. The survey highlighted many positives including knowledgeable and approachable lecturers, interactive and engaging lessons, respectful and inclusive classroom environments and enjoyable hands-on learning experiences.

UHI Inverness achieved sector-leading results in the College Student Outcomes 2023-24 report by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) that measures learner outcomes across the Scottish college sector.

It recorded the highest student retention rates among comparable Scottish colleges, with 86.6% of full-time further education students completing their course, that is 7.1% above the Scottish National Benchmark.

The report confirmed that successful completed outcomes for full-time further education students rose by 6.9% to 75.4% at UHI Inverness in academic year 2023-24, placing it 8.3% ahead of the Scottish National Benchmark of 67.1%. This success has been further advanced in the academic year 2024-25 which saw continued improvement in successful outcomes.  

Dr Lindsay Snodgrass, UHI Inverness Vice Principal, said:

“These exceptional outcomes are a testament to the dedication and hard work of both our students and staff and indicate the quality and impact of our educational provision. The performance indicators highlight the value we place on listening to student feedback, our ongoing focus on continuous improvement and our commitment to delivering high-quality, student-centred education. They also recognise the positive impact of our investment in staff professional development and the effectiveness of distributed leadership across our organisation in fostering a culture of shared responsibility and a responsive learning environment.”

Enrolments for 2025/26

UHI Inverness has experienced a growth of more than 300 enrolments across further education and higher education in this current academic year compared to last year. An additional 300-plus continuing apprentices are due to join, and a range of courses will begin in January 2026. A recent Audit Scotland report noted that student numbers in Scottish colleges are down by more than 30,000.

Growth in apprenticeships

UHI Inverness has embraced work-based learning to meet training and skills demands, and that has led to an unprecedented growth in apprenticeship numbers. It currently has more than 1,300 apprentices in training, including Foundation Apprentices, Modern Apprentices and Graduate Apprentices.

Schools Programme

The Schools Programme, which provides courses to senior secondary pupils as part of their school timetable, has experienced a year-on-year growth in applications for both further education and higher education subjects.

This year twenty-seven of these school pupils are studying HNC courses - the equivalent to the first year of a degree.  UHI Inverness boasts the best HN outcomes in the Scottish sector for the academic year 2024-25. A further 41 senior pupils are studying degree modules. These initiatives continue the commitment at UHI Inverness to widen access to higher education programmes and give an opportunity to accelerate the learning journeys of young people in the Highlands.

Audit Scotland’s 2025 report paints a stark picture of college funding in Scotland and a 20% real-terms funding cut since 2021-22.

UHI Inverness attributes its success to effective industry partnerships and investing in expanding the curriculum, new learning facilities and high-quality student support services in a difficult financial climate.

Professor Chris O’Neil, Principal and Chief Executive of UHI Inverness, said:

“UHI Inverness is growing and investing to benefit our students and our communities. All of Scotland’s colleges, including UHI Inverness, play a critical social and economic role within our communities. This has been highlighted by the recent Audit Scotland report which shows that every pound of investment in colleges like UHI Inverness generates a sixfold return for the Scottish economy. That level of investment is vital for the Highland economy, and we are committed to working with all our partners to ensure that we continue to play a key role in creating and supporting a more resilient, prosperous and vibrant society.”