Scotland’s universities continue to rank among the best in the world, with The University of Edinburgh placed 19th globally. International students flock here to benefit from our proud educational heritage.
This year, a record 27,830 Scottish students secured a place at a Scottish university—highlighting increased access for mature learners too.
However, an ONS report found that 52% of recent graduates are working in “non-graduate” roles, sparking debate about the relevance of qualifications. While some argue that higher education offers transferable skills, apprenticeships and vocational routes remain equally valid options.
Scotland’s modern apprenticeship schemes are on track to hit the 30,000-starts target by 2020, with strong uptake in construction.
Ultimately, students should pick the path that excites them—university, work, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, or even a gap year.
A Smarter Way to Deliver
Edinburgh-based start-up Exaactly is transforming e-commerce delivery. Its software allows customers to input delivery preferences once, then share them with multiple retailers—helping to avoid missed deliveries and wasted resources.
The start-up recently secured investment through John Lewis’ JLAB accelerator, showing the potential for tech solutions in e-commerce.
Laugh
Nicola Sturgeon made an accidental cameo on a US news site about American healthcare. A stock photo of her in a lab coat was used to illustrate an unrelated story—proving that even Scotland’s First Minister can become a “stock image” abroad.
Weep
Efforts to phase out the old £1 coin have hit a snag: businesses keep returning the new coin by mistake. Even with its fancy security features, many still can’t tell the difference.
The deadline to use your old coins is 15 October—so check your pockets!
