Scottish Funding Council wants city universities to complete merger talks by end of October
Dundee and Abertay universities should finish preliminary talks on a possible merger by the end of next month, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has said.
- Published in the Courier : 28.09.11
- Published online : 28.09.11 @ 06.06pm
Although Education Secretary Michael Russell has told Dundee City MSPs Joe FitzPatrick and Shona Robison that the October deadline is flexible, he would prefer talks to conclude as soon as possible.
The MSPs had raised concerns about the speed at which the proposed merger was being pushed through.
He wrote: "If there is need for more time to consider the issues involved, I would be prepared to request that SFC takes that request into account.
"Nonetheless, the potential benefits and the current absence of a permanent principal at Abertay suggest that work should proceed quickly."
The SFC maintains initial talks over a merger should be concluded within the next six weeks.
Chief executive Mark Batho said: "The timetable we've suggested to the two universities is about them coming together for preliminary talks. Because of the vacant principal's position at Abertay, we feel the end of October is a reasonable date for this."
Asked if the SFC would accept a request from the education secretary to extend the deadline, he added: "We are proposing to talk to both universities and we are willing to talk to other parties. Those discussions will, I am sure, include consideration of the pace of any changes."
Dundee City West MSP Joe FitzPatrick has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament that says although there is a need to develop some shared services between the two universities, they should remain independent and be given time to reach an agreement on how they can work more closely together.
It states: "The cabinet secretary has now provided a clear way forward that will enable Abertay to retain its status as an independent and autonomous institution and will give both Dundee universities the necessary time and space to enter into discussions."
Mr FitzPatrick posted his motion on Tuesday in response to an earlier one by Labour MSP Jenny Marra.
His motion adds that the parliament "considers the comments suggesting that the Scottish Government intends to close Abertay University unhelpful, completely unacceptable and entirely unfounded."
It also asks the parliament to confirm that it: "Hopes to see a variety of innovative and constructive proposals come forward in due course from both of Dundee's universities that recognise the need for shared services in this current challenging financial environment and that help to deliver efficiencies in order to ensure that funding for further and higher education in Scotland is sustainable into the future."
Ms Marra's motion had opposed any planned merger.
The SFC also said on Tuesday that Abertay's prestigious computer games courses would be protected in the event of a merger.
A spokeswoman said: "Nobody would want to compromise Abertay University's leading games courses."
Dr Richard Wilson, chief executive of games trade organisation TIGA, said: "Abertay University has been very successful in terms of providing people with the skills to work in the video games industry, which has been excellent for the UK as a whole, not just Scotland."
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