Business bodies told to work with colleges

Robert Beattie, chairman of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council, is to warn business and enterprise bodies that he expects them to embrace further education colleges as full partners in Scotland's new economic development strategy.

Speaking today at the Association of Scottish Colleges' annual conference, Mr Beattie said he saw proof that colleges "had what it takes" to raise their profile as key players alongside local authorities, local enterprise companies and chambers of commerce.