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About CES

CES carries out research in the social sciences of education that is independent, methodologically sound and that explores fundamental issues about the purposes and processes of education, and of policy in education, with a starting point in Scotland, but located in the wider framework of Europe.
Its research explores and seeks to answer such questions as:
› How does education relate to social contexts and social processes?
› What knowledge can social science research in education produce?
› How may that knowledge be understood locally, nationally, inter-and transnationally?


CES Expertise

CES can offer research expertise in a range of fields and methodologies.

To see some of our key skills and areas of knowledge please click here

CES Briefings

Key research findings are summarised in a regular series of CES Briefings. "Briefings" are written for education correspondents, researchers, policy-makers and others who want an academically rigorous summary of a piece of CES research but do not need to read the whole of the original report. The CES Briefings series is edited by Dr Cathy Howieson. All Briefings can be downloaded, free of charge. If paper copy or multiple copies are required please contact Carolyn.

See the available CES Briefings to date

Project graded as "Outstanding" by ESRC

The Project "Education and Nationalism: The Discourse of Education Policy in Scotland" has been recognised as "Outstanding" by the Economic and Social Research Council. ESRC has told the Centre that the recent "Education and Nationalism Project" has received an "Outstanding" grade in its evaluation.


New CES Briefings

Two new CES Briefings have been published along with our first eBriefing.

Briefing No. 52: The Sleep of Reason Breeds Monsters: Data and Education Governance in England, CES Briefing No. 52, Jenny Ozga and Martin Lawn

Briefing No. 51: Teacher Attitudes to Quality Assurance and Evaluation (QAE) in Scotland and England, Linda Croxford, John Gray and Jenny Ozga


The National Evaluation of the Local Collaborative Projects on Recognising Achievement

This project, funded by the Scottish Government, involves a cross-site evaluation of the Scottish Recognition of Achievement Collaborative Enquiry Projects set up to investigate and pilot different approaches to recognising young people’s wider achievements beyond formal certification.. The aim of the national evaluation is to identify the lessons from the projects to assist the SG in developing guidance and support for local authorities, schools and other education providers about giving young people opportunities for achievements of all kinds and helping them gain recognition for them. The project is being carried out in conjunction with Enterprising Careers at Strathclyde University and runs from December 2008 to November 2009.


Self-Help and Career Planning

In recent years, the focus of career guidance services in many countries has moved towards promoting self-help by clients. This project was commissioned by Skill Development Scotland (Careers) to investigate how the impact of self-help services might be measured and to what extent does the use of self-help tools promote young people’s career self management skills and decision–making. The study was led by Enterprising Careers at Strathclyde University and was completed between January and March 2009.