PowerPoint presentation concerning institutional positioning and vision; originally delivered by James Fraser, Principal of UHI to the Subject Network Leaders (2009)

1. Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

2. Development of Scottish
universities
 The ancients (15th
& 16th
centuries): St Andrews, Aberdeen,
Glasgow, Edinburgh
 The chartered universities (1960s): Strathclyde, Heriot Watt,
Dundee, Stirling
 The post-1992 universities: Abertay, West of Scotland,
Robert Gordon, Glasgow Caledonian, Napier
 2007: Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

3. Development of UHI
 1992 Project established
 1996 Millennium Commission funding
 2001 Higher education institution status
 2002 Research funding
 2004 Parity of funding for teaching
 2005 Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh & Strathclyde
agree to support university title application
 2008 Taught degree awarding powers
 University title thereafter
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

4. UHI mission
To be a distinctive and innovative regional university of national
and international significance; a university with a pivotal role
in the educational, economic, social, cultural and
environmental infrastructure of its region and which reaches
out to the people of the Highlands and Islands and the rest of
the world through its research and teaching.
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

5. Why UHI?
 Meet the needs of employers for a skilled workforce
 Provide local access to higher education for mature (non-geographically
mobile) students and a local study option for school leavers
 Attract young and mature students to the region to study and undertake
research
 Undertake research of regional and international significance in niche
areas based on the geography, environment, industries, culture and
social needs of the region
 Create high-value jobs, through both direct employment and through
commercialisation of research and spin-out businesses
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

6. Structure of UHI
 Twelve partners
 Further education colleges
 Specialist colleges
 Research institutions
 Over 100 outreach learning
centres
 Using technology to help people
learn with and from each other
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

7. The UHI
difference
 A distinctive ‘new generation’ lifelong learning university
 A seamless combination of further (craft and skills) and
higher (university-level) education
 Research-based but with an applied and vocational focus
 Distributed partnership model – sustaining and enhancing
local communities throughout the region
 Addressing local and regional needs, but outward looking
and of international significance
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

8. Profile
 Over 7500 students on university-level courses
 60% of students over 25 years of age and 62% studying part-
time
 Over 1600 undergraduate and postgraduate degree awards
 A developing research portfolio of international standing
 Independently assessed quality standards equivalent to long
established universities
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

9. UHI Awards
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
Award 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
HNC 418 719 867 985 982 945 1156
HND 74 277 291 464 375 326 435
Other SQA 19 58 137 219 242 304 412
total SQA 511 1,054 1,295 1,668 1,599 1,575 2003
Hons 0 9 11 16 14 21 48
Ord 164 164 189 211 209 229 193
MA/Sc 4 3 6 10 3 13 34
total degrees 168 176 206 237 226 263 275

10. Funding 2007-08
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
Funding Council (Teaching) £22.0m
Student fees and contracts £5.6m
Funding Council (Research) £2.9m
Other SFC grants £0.4m
Other research grants and contracts £3.9m
Other £4.1m
£38.9m

11. Route to University Title
 1999 Act – Route via Quality Assurance Agency
 taught Degree Awarding Powers (tDAP) … 2008
 research Degree Awarding Powers (rDAP)
(Replaced by sponsorship model: Aberdeen, Edinburgh and
Strathclyde Universities)
 University Title … 20??
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

12. Faculties and subject
networks
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
 Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Arts and Social Studies; Creative and Cultural Industries; Education; Gaelic and
other contemporary languages; Theology and Religious Studies
 Business and Leisure
Business and Management; Tourism, Leisure and Sport
 Health
Health and Social Care; Beauty and Associated Therapies
 Science and Technology
Agriculture; Natural Sciences; Sustainable Development; Marine Science;
Engineering; Construction

13. Blended
learning
 Face-to-face
 Video-conferencing / audio conferencing
 Electronic communications (e-mail, chat, discussion boards)
 On-line (Virtual Learning Environment)
 Printed materials
 Local or on-line study support
 Dedicated student advisor
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

14. Regional Development
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
Regional Development
‘Great economies are built on great universities’
Bill Joy, former CEO of Sun Systems
Smart, Successful Highlands and Islands,
Highlands and Islands Enterprise:
‘Priority for Action:
Harnessing the University of the Highlands and Islands as a “global
magnet”, enriching the region’s academic, cultural and creative mix and
providing a driver for knowledge transfer and commercialisation’

15. Research
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
 Marine and Environmental Science (SAMS, Perth, North
Highland)
 Health (Diabetes and Cardiovascular Science, Centre for Rural
Health, Clinical Research Facility)
 Renewable Energy (Lews Castle, Shetland, Orkney, North
Highland, Perth)
 Nordic Studies (Orkney and Shetland Colleges)

16. Research continued
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
 Gaelic Language and Culture (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Lews Castle)
 Highlands & Islands History (North Highland)
 Centre for Remote and Rural Studies (Inverness)
 Agronomy (Orkney)
 Theology (Highland Theological College)
 Archaeology and Geophysics (Orkney)

17. RAE 2008 Results
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
2008 Rank order Institution
12 University of Edinburgh
=14 University of St Andrews
=33 University of Glasgow
38 University of Aberdeen
=40 University of Dundee
=45 Heriot-Watt University
50 University of Strathclyde
=56 University of Stirling
=66 Edinburgh College of Art
87 Robert Gordon University
=93 Glasgow Caledonian University
=96 UHI Millennium Institute
=107 University of the West of Scotland
=109 University of Abertay Dundee
=109 Napier University
129 Queen Margaret University Edinburgh

18. Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
A Growing Partnership
Individual small and remote institutions
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
20000
TheUniversityofEdinburgh
TheUniversityofGlasgow
TheUniversityofStrathclyde
GlasgowCaledonianUniversity
TheUniversityofAberdeen
AberdeenCollege
TheUniversityofDundee
JamesWattCollegeofFurther&Higher
NapierUniversity
AdamSmithCollege
TheRobertGordonUniversity
TheUniversityofPaisley
Edinburgh'sTelfordCollege
DundeeCollege
TheUniversityofStirling
ForthValleyCollege
OpenUniversityinScotland
TheUniversityofStAndrews
Heriot-WattUniversity
StevensonCollege
MotherwellCollege
GlasgowMetropolitanCollege
UHIMillenniumInstitute
ReidKerrCollege
LangsideCollege
CardonaldCollege
UniversityofAbertayDundee
CentralCollegeofCommerce
JewelandEskValleyCollege
StowCollege
ClydebankCollege
LauderCollege
GlasgowCollegeofNauticalStudies
QueenMargaretUniversity
AyrCollege
PerthCollege
InvernessCollege
KilmarnockCollege
AnnieslandCollege
BellCollege
NorthGlasgowCollege
WestLothianCollege
AngusCollege
MorayCollege
Banff&BuchanCollegeofFurtherEducation
SouthLanarkshireCollege
CoatbridgeCollege
CumbernauldCollege
DumfriesandGallowayCollege
BordersCollege
GlasgowSchoolofArt
TheNorthHighlandCollege
JohnWheatleyCollege
EdinburghCollegeofArt
ElmwoodCollege
LewsCastleCollege
TheRoyalScottishAcademyofMusicandDrama
OatridgeAgriculturalCollege
OrkneyCollege
ShetlandCollegeofFurtherEducation
TheBaronyCollege
SabhalMorOstaig
HighlandTheologicalCollegeUHI
S.A.M.S.UHI
NewbattleAbbeyCollege
NorthAtlanticCollegeUHI
ArgyllCollegeUHI
LochaberCollegeUHI
NessFoundationUHI
HEIs FTE 2006-07
AP HE FTE 2006-07
FEC; FE fte 2006-7

19. Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
A Growing Partnership
Together a significant
resource
-
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
TheUniversityofEdinburgh
TheUniversityofGlasgow
TheUniversityofStrathclyde
UHIPartnership
GlasgowCaledonianUniversity
TheUniversityofAberdeen
AberdeenCollege
TheUniversityofDundee
JamesWattCollegeofFurther&HigherEducation
NapierUniversity
AdamSmithCollege
Edinburgh'sTelfordCollege
DundeeCollege
TheRobertGordonUniversity
OpenUniversityinScotland
ForthValleyCollege
TheUniversityofPaisley
TheUniversityofStirling
TheUniversityofStAndrews
Heriot-WattUniversity
StevensonCollege
GlasgowMetropolitanCollege
ReidKerrCollege
MotherwellCollege
LangsideCollege
CardonaldCollege
UniversityofAbertayDundee
CentralCollegeofCommerce
JewelandEskValleyCollege
StowCollege
ClydebankCollege
LauderCollege
GlasgowCollegeofNauticalStudies
QueenMargaretUniversityCollege,Edinburgh
AyrCollege
KilmarnockCollege
AnnieslandCollege
NorthGlasgowCollege
WestLothianCollege
SouthLanarkshireCollege
AngusCollege
BellCollege
Banff&BuchanCollegeofFurtherEducation
CoatbridgeCollege
CumbernauldCollege
DumfriesandGallowayCollege
BordersCollege
JohnWheatleyCollege
GlasgowSchoolofArt
ElmwoodCollege
OatridgeAgriculturalCollege
EdinburghCollegeofArt
TheRoyalScottishAcademyofMusicandDrama
NewbattleAbbeyCollege
TheBaronyCollege
HEIs FTE (2006-07)
FECs FTE (2006-07)
UHI Partnership

20. The message
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands
 Meeting the needs of lifelong learners with high quality
programmes and support
 Addressing skills gaps and employer demand
 Building a knowledge economy
 Overcoming geographic barriers
 Engaged with employers and the wider community
 Making best use of resources through networking and shared
services
 Delivering the government’s priorities and objectives

21. University of the Highlands
and Islands Development
Trust
Patrons:
The Rt Hon the Lord James
Mackay of Clashfern KT
Robert L McDowell,
Vice President Information
Worker Business Value,
Microsoft Corporation
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands

22. University of the Highlands
and Islands
‘Overcoming the tyranny of
geography.’
‘Helping make the Highlands and
Islands wealthier and fairer,
smarter, healthier, safer and
stronger, and greener’
Creating the University of the Highlands and Islands