SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth

At the core of RGU is to deliver teaching excellence responsive to the needs of learners from all backgrounds and at all stages of their careers. A skilled population is fundamental to economic prosperity, and we continually evolve our curriculum to ensure our graduates thrive throughout their careers and ensure employers have the supply of skills they need now and in the future.

RGU collaborates with employers to design and deliver our professionally-relevant curriculum so that all of our courses are demand-driven and tailored to current and future skills needs of workforces across all sectors. RGU has significantly grown our portfolio of upskilling short courses to contribute to the region’s skills priorities and support the development of individuals and workforces, with an emphasis on supporting those most disadvantaged or affected by the impact of the pandemic.

RGU is a leading provider of Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) in Scotland, offering a high value, work-based option for employers to develop their workforces in line with their skills needs. With over 600 apprentices, we work with more than 240 businesses covering the length and breadth of Scotland. Developed in collaboration with industry and the further and higher education sectors, GAs allow individuals to get qualified up to Master’s degree level while in paid employment.

RGU is a key contributor to the North East Regional Pathfinder on coherent curriculum and skills pathway.

RGU is leading a project which aims to secure the most effective use of the region’s healthcare simulation assets to support the recruitment, training and development of the region’s health and social care workforce.

We recognise the important role that entrepreneurial business growth plays in accelerating economic recovery and diversifying the country’s business base. At RGU, our entrepreneurship and innovation agenda is an integral component of our strategy to contribute to social and economic development. RGU has a culture of entrepreneurship, and the University is passionate about driving forward both innovation and supporting new enterprises to support economic growth in the North East and beyond.

Widening access to higher education is critical for the prosperity of Scotland as a high-skilled economy in an inclusive society. RGU has a long-standing commitment to widening access to higher education based on the principle that all children from Scotland’s most deprived communities, should by the time they leave school, have the same chance of accessing degree education as children from the most affluent communities. We set out to raise aspirations with an approach firmly rooted in delivering credible and high-quality interventions which work by inspiring, supporting and enabling young people and their families to engage in higher education.

RGU not only pays the government living wage but a supplement is added to the lowest pay points to ensure they are kept on track with the voluntary living wage set by the Living Wage Foundation.

RGU believes that the most effective way to promote equality and eradicate discrimination is to mainstream the considerations of equality across its functions. In this respect, the University expects all employees, students and visitors to have an individual duty to ensure that equality and diversity are actively promoted.