A new study that will explore if Gaelic Medium Education (GME) gives school leavers in Scotland an advantage when it comes to their career is being carried out by researchers at University of the West of Scotland (UWS).

GME is immersive Gaelic-language state education, which is currently available in 17 out of 32 Scottish local authorities. In June this year, the Scottish Parliament passed the Scottish Languages Bill, which gives the Gaelic and Scots languages official status in Scotland and includes changes in relation to Gaelic and Scots education.

Dr Emma Bolger and Ann Morrison, from UWS will be working with teachers and careers advisers in GME schools and units to gather information from pupils on how they feel Gaelic will benefit them as they move into the world of work.

The project will take place this autumn in two phases comprising of group interviews with senior phase (S4-6) pupils in GME across several local authorities and an online survey asking GME school leavers aged 17-25 about the impact GME has had on their career decisions.

The study is funded by The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland via a Research Incentive Grant.

“We’re really excited to start work on this project. The recent Scottish Languages Bill and the discussions it provoked around the Gaelic and Scots languages mean this research is more relevant than ever.”
Dr Emma Bolger, UWS

For more information about the project click here to visit the project site.

Any schools who would like their pupils to take part in the focus groups should contact the project organisers, via the project website, by Friday 29 August 2025.

This research aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), specifically Goal 4: Quality Education.