STEM Leader 7

The Young STEM Leader Programme (YSLP) is a national leadership programme in Scotland which spans seven levels of our 3-18 curriculum, the highest of which is STEM Leader 7.

Also known as SL7, this pinnacle level of the programme gives students the chance to gain a SQA Credit Rated Award that sits on the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework at Level 7, that's the same level as Advanced Highers and HNCs.  Furthermore, this award carries relevant SCQF Credits and is included in the UCAS application to ensure STEM Leaders can gain enhanced recognition with employers, colleges and universities.

Candidates who take this award will develop their leadership skills, qualities and behaviours in a way that is unique to YSLP.  Completing SL7 gives candidates huge ownership and design of their learning, asking them to create and complete a research project which align with their own interests, skills and ambitions.  We are now accepting applications from potential students, anywhere in Scotland, who would like to gain this award via a fully-funded scholarship programme in the academic year 25/26.

STEM Leader 7 overview​

People of age 16+ will complete the SCQF Level 7 Award in STEM Leadership by:

• Developing a project question
• Gaining the support of an individual, group or organisation who will inform, advise or contribute to their project
• Linking their project to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Answering their project question through research and activity​​
• Sharing their findings in a format of their choice

Examples of past project questions from Cohort 1 (24/25):

• Are brachycephalic dog breeds ethical and should we have more laws around the breeding of them?
• What are the barriers to accessing dental care for low-income populations and how can these problems be addressed?
• How do we get more children involved and wanting to pursue the sciences and why our current efforts may be flawed?
• In what ways can the use of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment improve the quality of healthcare provided to frail older people?
• How can we stabilise local ecosystems using plants?
• How can we make clean drinking water more easily accessible for people in developing countries?
• What are the barriers that neuro diverse people face in school and university that prevents them form careers in stem and medicine.
• Can hydrogen become a clean primary energy source that is reliable, economically viable and efficient.
• In what way can living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) affect young people's mental health and academic performance?
• How can the psychology of reminiscence promote wellbeing in a care home setting?
• What are the barriers to women and girls pursuing a career in engineering and how can we combat these to reduce the gender gap within STEM careers?
• How can we move forward in creating more opportunities for engineering positions for women in motorsports?
• How can artificial intelligence be utilised to create personalised learning experiences in STEM subjects to improve educational outcomes and engagement of students?
• How do we reduce animal cruelty in Scotland?

There is no summative assessment or exam for SL7, candidates are assessed and awarded based on their ongoing completion of a digital log and of course, how they share their findings at the end of the project.

For anyone interested in completing this award with us, there are two options for academic year 25/26, see below for more information.