By Ian Findlay, industrial reporter, and Michael Alexander

DUNDEE WAS singled out for praise by First Minister Jack McConnell yesterday and hailed as a sterling example of what is now being achieved in Scotland in the post-devolution era.

Mr McConnell said the city is now “on the way back up.”

The plaudits for Dundee were delivered by the First Minister as he addressed an audience of some of the country’s top business leaders, politicians, academics and others at a conference in Fife.

Referring to opportunities being presented to the country by devolution, Mr McConnell said, “If there was any question about the progress we are making, we just need to look round the corner at Dundee.

“Twenty years ago, Dundee had almost forgotten its proud history of entrepreneurialism and invention. It was a city of decline and unemployment. A city that people came from rather than went to.

“But, today, Dundee is now on the way back up. Every time I go to Dundee there is a difference in the city.

There are more jobs, fewer people unemployed, new businesses, regenerated communities and a waterfront transformed.”

Mr McConnell said Dundee had two “outstanding” universities—Abertay, with a worldwide reputation for digital games technology and, interestingly, strong links with Africa, and Dundee, which is in the top three in the world for science.

The First Minister delivered a keynote address to 280 delegates attending the Scottish Council Development and Industry annual forum at the St Andrews Bay Hotel.

As he praised Dundee’s two universities, he also took the opportunity to highlight the achievements of St Andrews University as well, describing it as having strong international reputation “and a refreshing commitment to modernisation of its work and commercialisation of its research.”

After addressing the second day of the SCDI event, Mr McConnell went to St Andrews to fulfil some engagements there.

The forum, the 34th to be staged by the Scottish Council, focused this year on Scotland’s place in the global economy, international society and security environment following the emergence of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries.

In addition to Mr McConnell, the distinguished panel of speakers at the event included former NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson and Liberal Democrats deputy leader and defence spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell.

In his speech to delegates, Mr McConnell said that, six years into devolution, he did not think there could be a greater opportunity for Scotland than rekindling its relationship with the wider world.

The country had a history of trading and sharing ideas and working with countries all over the globe for hundreds of years.

Fife and Dundee had played roles in that.

Mr McConnell said that the powers of devolution had now given Scotland a “fantastic chance” to have a strong competitive edge internationally using our skills, research and our ability to innovate.

The First Minister said he wanted Scotland to use devolution as a “competitive edge within the UK,” with ideas and action to take the country forward.

Mr McConnell said that Scotland should pursue building an infrastructure and a culture that supports growth.

“For example, having more internationally-renowned companies headquartered from Scotland would not just bring direct benefits to our economy, it would also be a symbol of our success to the wider world.”

A company with headquarters in Scotland was more likely to be a long-term player in the country’s economy and help retain Scotland’s best talent by offering skilled and well-paid jobs.

The First Minister said that a truly successful and modern Scotland would be one where there are greater flows of people.

“I want more young Scots to experience the world,” he told the forum. “I want them to leave—but I want them to come back again too.”

He added, “While other countries are closing their borders, Scotland will open its arms to a generation of new Scots from across the world.”

* Mr McConnell yesterday praised St Andrews University for its “forward thinking” efforts to enhance the international competitiveness of Scotland’s higher education sector and its willingness to meet the challenges of the future head on.

He made the comment as he officially opened two buildings at the university’s North Haugh, which are now home to the school of management and computer science respectively and represent an investment by the university of around £10 million.

Mr McConnell met principal Dr Brian Lang, head of school of management Professor Peter McKiernan and head of computer science Ron Morrison, who introduced him to staff and students.

In the management school, he met the researchers involved in a national scenario-modelling project, which studies the implications of devolution on the Scottish economy.

At computer science, he saw the latest in computing technology, including dancing robots and 3D facial modelling and morphing.

The two new major teaching and research facilities at The Gateway, the university’s flagship circular building, and the Jack Cole Building, the “smart” new home of part of the School of Computer Science, represent significant investment.

At the opening, the university’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor Dr Lang said it was important for the university to take a global perspective if it was to flourish. Its international outlook was already evident with 30% of St Andrews students from outwith the UK.

He said, “The University of St Andrews is determined to play its part in enhancing the international competitiveness of Scotland’s higher education sector. Creation and transfer of knowledge are more effective if high quality academics are given high quality working conditions. The university’s School of Computer Science is an internationally recognised centre of excellence and its new home reflects that status.

“The Gateway, the new building for the university’s School of Management, will help the university improve the business and management skills of students from Scotland and the increasing number of overseas students who have decided that St Andrews offers a first class higher education. The buildings represent essential investments and signify the University of St Andrews’ confidence in its future.”

Named after the founder of computer science at St Andrews, the Jack Cole Building is a £3.1m recently completed two-storey building designed to meet the needs of growing interest in computer science, accompanying the existing John Honey Building.

It is home to around 18 academic staff and 300 students within the School of Computer Science, which includes world-leading groups in software architecture, distributed systems and symmetry and symbolic computation.

During the visit to the Jack Cole Building, Mr McConnell talked to researchers involved in key research such as making credit cards safer, facial morphing and modelling and electronic voting systems. Projects which demonstrate real human interest include the mathematical model behind working out a woman’s “biological clock” age.

At the opening, Mr McConnell said, “St Andrews may be an ancient university but it is one that is forward looking and willing to meet the challenges of the future head on. Today’s openings are concrete proof of this. In these two new buildings the university has some of the finest teaching, learning and research facilities to be found anywhere in the world. They will enhance St Andrews and they will enrich Scotland.”

The First Minister had earlier delivered a keynote address to 280 delegates attending the Scottish Council Development and Industry annual forum at the St Andrews Bay Hotel, at which he also highlighted the achievements of St Andrews University, describing it as having strong international reputation “and a refreshing commitment to modernisation of its work and commercialisation of its research.”

He also told the forum, “I want more young Scots to experience the world. I want them to leave—but I want them to come back again too. The mark of our success will not be how few people leave but how many people come back.”