The Scottish Language Baccalaureate and Scottish Science Baccalaureate will include existing qualifications in science and languages at Higher and Advanced level plus a new interdisciplinary project in S6. The qualifications are also designed to ensure a smooth transition from secondary education to higher education and industry.

Announcing details of the qualifications at a science professionals’ conference, ‘Taking Biology Forward’ in Dundee today Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:

"The new Baccalaureates are designed to stretch our most able young people and the first awards will be made in 2010. The Baccalaureates will contribute to the Government's principal purpose of creating a more successful Scotland with opportunities for all to flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth."

Hyslop went on: "The awards aim to encourage more of our young people to study science and language courses in the later stages of secondary school, raise the status of S6 and assist our young people in making the transition from school to higher and further education and employment."

Commenting on the announcement, Professor Jack Jackson, visiting Professor of Curricular Studies at the University of Strathclyde said:

"The interdisciplinary project which will form part of the Science Baccalaureate should give S6 pupils an opportunity to further develop independent learning skills and to take greater responsibility for aspects of their work.

"Spending some of their time engaging with the applications of the sciences in further or higher education or in science-related businesses or industries should give pupils a greater appreciation of the importance of the sciences to future employment and to economic growth. It will be important for pupils to ensure that they choose projects which are related to areas of interest and to future career aspirations. Hopefully, higher education will recognise the added value of the interdisciplinary project and the more rounded qualification provided by the Baccalaureate."

Conservative MSP Liz Smith said she was dissapointed that the proposals only include science and languages.  Smith, Shadow Minister for Children, Schools & Skills, said:

“While it is encouraging to hear that the Cabinet Secretary is concerned about the need for more pupils in Scottish schools to become specialists in modern languages and sciences, I cannot understand the educational logic of why a Baccalaureate style award is deemed appropriate in these subjects yet not appropriate in either the social sciences or the arts. The Cabinet Secretary has made great play of the fact that her new Scottish Baccalaureate is designed to ‘build on the back of the Advanced Highers success’. But Advanced Highers exist in many other subjects so I’m not sure how she intends to argue her case to the teaching profession.

“It also seems extraordinary that when there is concern that the current exam system is too cluttered and confused, here we are with a Cabinet Secretary who is adding more qualifications and in doing so, muddying the waters. At present, we have pupils who gain entrance to university either because they have achieved the requisite group of Highers or because they have acquired the requisite group of Highers plus Advanced Highers. The new system the Cabinet Secretary is suggesting adds a third category; those who have Highers, Advanced Highers and Scottish Baccalaureate group award."