There are 32 local authorities or council areas in Scotland. The largest are Glasgow City Council areas, with the rest being held by other local authorities.
In the Early Middle Ages, the Kingdom of Scotland was an independent sovereign state. In 1603, following the death of James VI, it was formed a personal union with the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Ireland. On May 1, 1707, Scotland joined a political union with the UK and created the new Kingdom of Great Britain, which was succeeded by the Parliament of Scotland.
The education system in Scotland has always been different from that of the rest of the UK. In the 15th century, a Humanist emphasis on education led to the passing of the Education Act, which required all sons of barons and nobles to attend grammar schools. By the late seventeenth century, the complete network of parish schools had been established in lowlands. However, in the highlands, basic education was still lacking.
Further and Higher Education are provided by 43 colleges and universities. These institutions aim to provide the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the country's workforce. Based on the data for the four Scottish regions, all four regions ranked significantly higher than the European average when it came to the completion of higher education.
One of the few schools in the UK that has educated two Nobel Prize-winning scientists is the Kilmarnock Academy.
