College merger consultation events confirmed
A series of open public consultation meetings on the ambitious plans driving a proposed merger of three colleges within the University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) network, is set to begin next week (Tuesday, January 18th).
The team behind the proposals, will be seeking the views of staff, students and stakeholders on a project which is designed to bring together Lews Castle College UHI, North Highland College UHI and West Highland College UHI to form a new institution by January 2023.
The public meeting phase of the consultation will be led by the principals and senior representatives from each college and staged on Tuesday, January 18th, Wednesday January 26th and Monday, February 7th. Meeting booking details are available here: Rural and Islands Merger Project Events | Eventbrite
Last month, a consultation proposal document titled Building a Better Future Together, was shared with stakeholders which set out the vision for the merger and the document will form the basis of discussion and comment at each of the meetings.
A dedicated website was also launched in December: https://www.rural-islands-merger.uhi.ac.uk
In a joint statement, the three principals, Lydia Rohmer, Debbie Murray and Sue Macfarlane said: “We are entering a really important stage. We have all been clear that the views of our staff and students as well as the wider public and stakeholders, are absolutely key to help us deliver our ambitious plans.
“It is our belief the merger will bring together our three organisations to form a new college based on a partnership of equals.
“In additional to public meetings, we will also be holding consultation sessions with staff and students to gain their views.
“We are confident this proposal is the best way forward to benefit our students, our staff, our partnerships and our communities, and by building a better future together, we can deliver on our ambition to support local, regional, national and international opportunities.”
The merger plans, which could involve 9,000 students and around 600 staff, follow a detailed options appraisal earlier this year.
The consultation document sets out the ambition and guiding principles for the merger, and explains:
- Why merger is the right way forward for the three colleges and the communities and region they serve
- The impact on stakeholders, including businesses and local employers
- How feedback on the proposal can be given
The new college will remain within the university network which has 12 institutions across the Highlands and Islands.
Merger Partnership Board Chair, Dr Michael Foxley, added: ““This is a very positive and exciting merger of Colleges serving a huge area of remote rural and island communities. It will strengthen the resilience for College staff, whilst providing an enhanced curriculum for students.
“We want as many people as possible to get in touch, either via the dedicated website or indeed by participating in the consultation meetings and provide us with their thoughts on the proposals and share any concerns they may have around the project.
“We are committed to making the right decisions for the future of the three colleges and that process can only be strengthened by the participation of as many staff, students and stakeholders as possible.”
The Merger Partnership Board has already confirmed the proposals would not result in any direct job losses, the colleges would retain their local identities, and any savings identified would be reinvested to strengthen teams at all levels to enable innovation and leadership.
Key dates:
Staff consultation meetings: Tuesday, January 11; Wednesday January 12 and Tuesday, January 18.
Public consultation meetings: Tuesday, January 18; Wednesday, January 26 and Monday, February 7
Student consultation meetings: Friday, February 4 and Wednesday, February 9
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Please e-mail - rural-islands-merger@uhi.ac.uk
Websites:
Lews Castle College UHI
North Highland College UHI
West Highland College UHI
Notes to editors
The dedicated consultation website can be found at https://www.rural-islands-merger.uhi.ac.uk
Lews Castle College UHI is one of the smallest colleges in Scotland, serving students in Lewis, North Uist, Benbecula and Barra.
North Highland College UHI has campuses in Thurso, Halkirk, Alness and Dornoch.
West Highland College UHI has no single, central campus but has learning centres from Ullapool to Kilchoan