That the Parliament recognises and congratulates the Open University (OU) in Scotland on being officially awarded professional recognition by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) for its professional learning programme, "Teaching Scots Language and Culture"; understands that the GTCS, which undertook a robust and thorough examination of the OU course, said that “The coherent partnership between the practising teacher, the Open University and Education Scotland brings real benefit to the professional learning programme" and that "The depth, passion and enthusiasm of the programme leaders supporting this came across strongly in the presentation and professional dialogue with the panel”, and expresses heartfelt thanks to the team at the OU, including the programme leader, Dr Sylvia Warnecke, on all that it is doing to support the Scots community and to encourage the next generation of Scots speakers, writers, poets and singers.