University and College Union says Abertay is ready to fight for its future
One of the biggest campaigns Dundee has ever seen will oppose the forced merger of its two universities, a union figure has promised.
Dr Andy Samuel describes the developments as 'unbelievable'.
- By Grant Smith, education reporter
- Published in the Courier : 26.09.11
- Published online : 26.09.11 @ 10.19am
Dr Andy Samuel, the secretary of Abertay branch of the University and College Union, said staff had reacted with ''complete and utter disgust and horror'' at the shock proposal made last week by the higher education funding body.
Staff, students and other supporters were preparing to assert the need for the independence of both universities and prevent the ''catastrophe'' of a merger.
The UCU, which represents academic staff, is worried about the potential for job losses, but also the negative impact on educational diversity and on the national agenda of widening access to higher education.
The universities received letters on Thursday from the Scottish Funding Council calling on them to start merger talks.
The SFC has refused to comment on the letters, sent after Education Secretary Mike Russell signalled that he would be seeking powers to force through tie-ups between universities.
Dr Samuel said the letter had been ''unbelievable'' and added: ''I have never seen anything like it. It's forcing the agenda. Where this is coming from, I have no idea.
''We have been talking to the Dundee University branch of the UCU and we will be organising a huge campaign, hopefully with the students and the local colleges, to assert independence. We feel we deliver the post-16 education agenda better than any other region because of our independence.''
Dr Samuel noted that several SNP ministers had visited Abertay ''extolling our virtues as a university'' which made it hard to understand why the Government now seemed intent on forcing it to merge with its city neighbour.
Staff at the university only learned of the SFC's letter on Friday.
'Catastrophe'
Dr Samuel said the initial reaction from staff he had spoken to was wholly negative, with anger and frustration at the threat to their university.
"We could be looking at huge redundancies and huge costs for the whole of Dundee. It would be a catastrophe, absolutely."
He felt sure staff at Dundee University would be equally unhappy at the thought of a merger.
There was a degree of overlap between the universities, but they often took a different approach to topics and were each offering something distinctive, he said.
"There is no question of us competing with Dundee — we complement each other," Dr Samuel continued. "We will be working for the independence of both institutions."
The UCU would be open to the idea of having "grown-up" discussions about Abertay's relationship with higher and further education institutions in the area, with scope for greater collaboration between them. But a top-down, forced merger was unacceptable.
Dr Samuel said Abertay was looking at offering sports degrees and working with colleges to make sports facilities available.
'Distinct'
Janice Aitken, president of the Dundee University branch of the UCU, said: "The city of Dundee is a fantastic centre for innovation and creativity. One of the cornerstones of our ability to deliver that innovation is the fact that we have two excellent and distinct institutions of higher education.
"The access to a wide range of courses afforded by these, as well as the quality and diversity of research, are essential to the economic and cultural life of the city and beyond.
"As well as our serious concerns about the effect a merger would have on access to higher education in the region, we are particularly keen to avoid the staff cuts and redundancies that would inevitably result from such a move."
A UCU branch meeting this week will discuss the way forward.
A business leader has said that should a merger go ahead, it must be not be allowed to harm the "fantastic" links the universities have with industry.
Alan Mitchell, chief executive of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce, said they both had global reputations in fields such as life sciences and computer gaming.
If forced together, the chamber would "very much hope they would retain their excellence in these fields" as the consequences if they did not would be negative for the city and the wider Scottish economy.
11.18am - 26.09.2011 CD Dundee - dundee, scotland Report This
As far as I am aware, no one has come out with a figure on the cost saving to the Scottish people all this trumoil would bring. Can someone please tell me . .
11.54am - 26.09.2011 Concerned - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Can we have also have a timescale? When are the SFC proposing this all be done and dusted? I strongly suspect no matter what is best for students and staff at either institution the SFC and Government will force this through. I really hope I'm wrong.
12.29pm - 26.09.2011 Art McG - Newport-On-Tay, Scotland Report This
Alan Mitchell should be coming out with a more positive comment re keeping both universities separate for the benefit of the universities themselves and the city in general. big is not always beautiful.
01.10pm - 26.09.2011 Lynne - dundee, UK Report This
If this was two universities who taught the same subjects then i could see the sense but the fact of the matter is that they each attract very different types of students. Courses would be cut and I can guarantee dundee's reputation as a student city would be destroyed.
01.35pm - 26.09.2011 Dee - Dundee, United Kingdom Report This
The seeds of this decision by the SNP government were sown when Kenny MacAskill's "minded against a single (police) force" morphed into him being fully committed behind that idea. Worse, this govt has previous on pulling the rug from under our Unis. But people still voted SNP.
02.05pm - 26.09.2011 CJH - Dundee, Monifieth Report This
This is all to do with the University 'funding gap' that the SNP denied was £300m at the election (it was only £90m, they said), only to state later that it was in fact nearly £300m after all. Got to close that gap somehow...extreme political interference with the SFC.
03.54pm - 26.09.2011 Colin R - Dundee, Scotland UK Report This
@ CJH Indeed, it s worth noti g that those who claimed the gap was nearer £300m were dismissed as "scaremongering" and "negative". Instead Dee, the SNP tactic of claiming those who challenged their policies and record in govt. has been outed as a sham.
05.38pm - 26.09.2011 Iain Kattenach - Largs, UK Report This
Abertay has ever been an obvious target, and its recent public mismanagement has now proved fatal. However, the entire HE sector is totally out of control, considering it is almost entirely public funded. Someone has to sort out the 4 universities in each of Glasgow and Edinburgh.
05.51pm - 26.09.2011 Dundee Uni Student - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Abertay Uni offers such wonderful courses as Golf Course Management and Ethical Hacking. These are ridiculous degrees that have no worth to society at all and when 60% of the funding comes from the state Abertay have to be held accountable. Like it or not, the SNP are the governing party!
05.56pm - 26.09.2011 Merge to stop the waste - Dundee, UK Report This
Merge, great news! Who would go? Only the policy doubles like the Press Dept, The Court and the Student Union Body. All 3 would be redundant when the two Uni's merge. I guess that is why we see so much of these 3 depts in the press. Are they really fighting for a better Uni or their well paid Jobs?
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