A merger of Scotland’s four leading land-based colleges, including Elmwood College in Fife, could be completed within a matter of months, The Courier understands.
Elmwood College has joined forces with Barony College, Oatridge College and the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) to look at how the increasing demands of the land-based sector could be met by a new institute of further and higher education which combines their strengths and expertise.
The Courier has learned that college chiefs were due to meet today to consider revisions to merger proposals already on the table, with a representative from Elmwood expected to draw up a resolution which the college’s board of management can take a vote on before the end of this month.
Elmwood bosses had been due to vote on the merger on Monday, but the decision was deferred.
If the proposals are eventually rubber-stamped, the new ”super” college would support around 13,500 students, employ nearly 1,200 staff and could have a turnover of around £77 million a year.
Elmwood principal Jim Crooks told The Courier that Monday’s meeting had been arranged some time ago as an ”essential element” in the timeline ahead of an estimated merger date of August 1, but confirmed that a decision has been delayed.
He said: ”The board were of the view that a final vote on the merger be deferred until late May, pending receipt or resolution of three outstanding issues: an agreed set of articles for the new entity; an agreed scheme of delegation for the new education board within the new entity, and a financial forecast.
”The merger proposal document is now with the Funding Council and the Scottish Government for consideration, but this is a living document that will be refined with some additional detail.
”Meetings are arranged with the cabinet secretary and the Funding Council to ensure the process meets the milestones to achieve a vesting day of August 1 2012.”
Continued…
”The period of uncertainty we have faced will be with us for a little longer but the board of management is very appreciative of the patience, hard work and professionalism of the staff in delivering a first-class learning experience for Elmwood’s learners.”
A consultation under the banner Going Further was launched in March, giving staff and students across the colleges, local communities, industry partners and other stakeholders the chance to contribute their views on the proposals.
That process officially closed on May 7 and received more than 290 responses.
The outcome is not yet known but an initial analysis of feedback is understood to have highlighted the desire for colleges to retain their local profile and educational provision.
Other feedback has highlighted both questions and concerns surrounding the proposed merger, together with opportunities for new and shared industry partnerships.
The news comes after the Education Secretary Michael Russell gave the Scottish Parliament an update on the situation, in response to a question from South Scotland SNP MSP Joan McAlpine.
”Significant progress is being made by the colleges in developing their proposals to merge,” Mr Russell said. ”The consultation exercise organised by the colleges closed on May 7 and I intend to give close consideration to all the responses.
”Separately, I have written to a wide range of stakeholders offering a further opportunity to provide comments on the proposed merger directly to me.”
The land-based industries are seen as crucial to the Scottish economy thus reinforcing the need for those involved in any possible merger to deliver real benefits to everyone involved in the sector and support the next generation of workers and businesses.
The sector contributes nearly 70,000 jobs to the economy and around 20,000 Scottish businesses operate in the land-based and environmental industries.