QAA publishes TQER report for West Lothian College

QAA has published the report of its Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review (TQER) of West Lothian College.

TQER is the method by which QAA reviews Scottish tertiary education providers as part of Scotland’s Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework.

Originally established in 1965 as Bathgate Technical College, West Lothian College is based in Livingston and offers programmes at Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework Levels 2-9, spanning both further education and higher education. An extensive range of work-based qualifications are delivered by the College, including modern apprenticeships, foundation apprenticeships and Scottish Vocational Qualifications. In academic year 2024-25, the College had approximately 6,299 students of whom 76 per cent were studying FE and 24 per cent were studying HE.

West Lothian College 's review visits took place on 17-18 March and 28-30 April 2026. The review was conducted by a team of four independent reviewers, including a student reviewer.

The TQER team makes a judgement as to whether an institution meets sector expectations in managing academic standards, enhancing the quality of the learning experience and enabling student success, and has the quality assurance and enhancement arrangements in place to enable this to continue into the future.

The team judged that West Lothian College is effective in managing academic standards, enhancing the quality of the learning experience and enabling student success.

The review report lists six areas of good practice and three recommendations for action.

The TQER team identified the following features of good practice:

• The embedding of employability skills across the curriculum through effective work-based learning, placements, apprenticeships and meaningful employer engagement, ensuring that learning is directly relevant to workplace practice and effectively supports students’ progression into employment or further study.
• The College’s well-embedded, systematic and impactful approach to supporting innovation in learning and teaching through the peer-led Learning Champion role which supports professional dialogue, observation of practice, coaching, mentoring and the wider sharing of practice.
• The College’s whole organisation approach to supporting student success, which is consistently applied across curriculum and professional services and supports students across the full learner lifecycle, including transitions into College, between levels of study and into employment or further learning.
• The partnership approach to capturing the student voice through the bespoke College survey that has resulted in high levels of student awareness and engagement. The survey is fully embedded within quality processes and is consistently and systematically used to improve the student experience.
• The development of roadmaps for translating strategic priorities into operational practice, provides a clear mechanism that supports broad staff engagement, shared understanding, a sense of ownership and involvement in the implementation of institutional strategies.
• The College’s approach to quality assurance and quality enhancement that is strengthened by Quality Champions, who mentor and support curriculum staff to build and develop knowledge and confidence in quality assurance practices. This supports continuous quality improvement and professional development.

The TQER team made the following recommendations for action:

• The College should continue to implement its meta‑skills plan and approach to deliver a consistent experience for students to recognise, articulate and evidence the skills they develop through their studies.
• The College, in collaboration with the Student Association, should consider ways to involve students more directly in College quality and decision-making processes, going beyond established student voice mechanisms to foster a strategic approach to working with students as partners. 
• The College should roll out its planned approach to Institution-Led Quality Review in this academic year and continue to reflect on and refine the process in line with SFC expectations.

Hazel Brady, Principal and Chief Executive of West Lothian College, said:

"We are delighted that the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review has identified West Lothian College as Effective. This achievement reflects the dedication of our staff and students, whose commitment and hard work create a positive, inclusive and high-quality learning experience every day.

"We are proud that the review recognises the strength of our partnership with students, who play a vital role in shaping their college experience and driving continuous improvement. The report highlights the collective efforts of our college community and the achievements of our students, who remain at the centre of everything we do.

"The review also acknowledges the strong relationships we have built with employers, partners and stakeholders. Their collaboration helps us deliver a responsive curriculum that meets the needs of our communities and regional economy, ensuring our learners develop the skills, knowledge and experience needed to succeed.

"I thank the QAA review team for its constructive evaluation, which recognises our strengths while providing valuable insights to support our continued enhancement. We will build on this success and remain committed to delivering the highest-quality education and support for our students and our communities."

The full report can be read on our website.