Session 2024-25 was the first year of the first STEP cycle and its Discovery phase. During the year, staff and students came together for a series of Discovery Days to establish collaborative partnerships and design projects that will form the core of the programme. Discovery Days included a mix of networking, teamworking and CPD activity.

Between these days, Navigation Sessions provided momentum, alongside additional supporting activities such as workshops, networking opportunities and CPD activity related to the topic. In developing projects there was a focus on collaboration, clarity of outcomes and anticipated impact, and the formation of a cohesive programme of work that involves every college and university in Scotland in at least one project.

STEP One: Who are we and what are our challenges?

4 December 2024

The purpose of the first Discovery Day was to introduce STEP and its first topic. We spent some time getting to know each other and began to explore our common challenges and potential solutions.

STEP Two: How will we work together?

29 January 2025

The second Discovery Day more firmly established teams and saw us start work on project proposals. STEP Network members started to think about the rationale for what they would like to do in years 2 and 3.

STEP Three: How will we know we are making a difference?

26 March 2025

The third Discovery Day had an emphasis on impact. STEP Network members considered the outcomes, indicators and evaluation of their projects.

STEP Four: How will we deliver?

28 May 2025

By this stage, projects teams were working through the details of their project proposals: what activities they would deliver, what resources they would require, and how they would manage their project.

Following each of the Discovery days, CDN offered 2-hour online Navigation Sessions. The purpose of these sessions was to surface the key thoughts, ideas and questions that participants had had since the Discovery Days, and to identify next steps on their journeys. Participants were invited to reflect on the Discovery Day and identify topics or questions that they needed to discuss further.