THERE WAS delight all round yesterday after a successful solution was reached to allow Dundee University’s textile short courses to be relocated to Dundee College.

The courses, discontinued at the end of last term due to financial pressures and constraints on space, are to be resurrected after talks between the university, college and the city council.

The university announced in June their non-vocational textile evening courses would have to end after the workroom became surplus to requirements at Duncan of Jordanstone art college and no space could be found for it within the university.

That announcement deeply disappointed class members, and Lib- Dem Councillor Fraser Macpherson took up their case with the university and Dundee College to help bring about a solution.

Dundee University vice-principal Professor James Calderhead said, “I’m delighted and very grateful to Dundee College for assisting us in housing the textiles evening classes.

“This is another example of the city’s educational institutes working together to provide a high standard of lifelong learning in Dundee.”

A spokeswoman for the university said existing class members are to be informed of the new arrangement by letter this week, and the new programme will begin in the week starting October 13.

Councillor Macpherson warmly welcomed the news, paying tribute to both the university and the college and thanking council colleagues for their help.

He said, “My initial discussions with the university showed that there was going to be a real problem accommodating the classes in the future as the university has space difficulties and a number of the classes require dedicated space.

“This led to discussions with third parties and the outcome is agreement with Dundee College to take over the classes.

“Having spoken with many of the course participants I know what a loss these classes would have been to Dundee. They have been running for very many years and teach skills and craft not readily available elsewhere.

“The classes have brought much enjoyment and satisfaction to very many people over the years and it would have been a great dis- appointment indeed if the classes had ended.”

Sheila Page, associate curriculum manager in charge of creative and cultural industries at Dundee College, said, “We are very happy to be able to resolve this issue by working closely with our partners at Dundee University.

“Thanks to our on-going expansion of textile art provision at Dundee College, we can offer a full programme of non- vocational classes at our refurbished art and design studios situated in the Graham Street campus.”

An example of how textile art and fashion and design is growing at Dundee College was illustrated at the end-of-year exhibition when students on the Higher National Certificate and Diploma courses staged a fashion show involving 24 students contributing work and 18 of them acting as models.