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QAA Scotland has completed work on supporting reflective learning in institutions, particularly through Personal Development Planning. (PDP).

PDP Development Programme

QAA Scotland worked with organisations including the Higher Education Academy (now AdvanceHE) and the Centre for Recording Achievement on the Scottish PDP Institutional Development Programme (ScotPID). Twelve higher education institutions took part in the programme during 2010-11. Participating institutions reviewed the relationship between PDP and the development of graduate attributes. 

PDP Toolkit

QAA Scotland sponsored a consultancy team from the University of Dundee to develop the PDP Toolkit.  In 2011, we extended the Toolkit to include reference to PDP within placement learning and work-based learning. The Toolkit built on previous work on the Effective Learning Framework.


Institutional staff at all levels can use the PDP Toolkit to consider their strategies and policies for the enhancement of PDP. It achieves this by using a series of self-assessment questions which encourage reflection on the important issues in implementation and development.


Personal Development Planning Toolkit (second edition)

Publication date: 04 Sep 2011

Other related resources

Personal Development Planning - Guidance for institutional policy and practice

Publication date: 10 Feb 2009

Effective Learning Framework

Publication date: 17 Feb 2007