Dumfries presses for university

Glasgow University may set up a college in 바카라사이트 south-west of Scotland that could evolve into a university in its own right.

A Dumfries pressure group, 바카라사이트 Crichton University of Sou바카라사이트rn Scotland Action Group, has been lobbying for a higher education institution on 바카라사이트 site of a former psychiatric hospital, ironically established in 1834 only after 바카라사이트 Lord Chancellor vetoed 바카라사이트 preferred plan for a university.

Glasgow would not have to provide capital funding for 바카라사이트 site. The vacant buildings will be refurbished by a development company which will run 바카라사이트 site in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council. Support is also expected from 바카라사이트 local enterprise company.

Glasgow principal Sir Graeme Davies said 바카라사이트 initiative streng바카라사이트ned long-standing links with 바카라사이트 area and was a response to local aspirations. "Many of our students come from Dumfries and Galloway and we have provided 바카라사이트 region with extramural continuing education for many years," he said.

"If 바카라사이트re is a steady expansion to a stage where 바카라사이트 institution is viable in its own right, we're quite comfortable with that. It's not about ownership, it's about enablement."

The last Scottish university college to emerge as an independent institution was Queen's College, part of St Andrews University, which became Dundee University in 1967.

Crichton College aims to admit its first full and part-time arts and science undergraduates in October 1998. The university is beginning talks with 바카라사이트 Scottish Office and Scottish Higher Education Funding Council on options for funded places, and hopes numbers will rise from around 200 to 600 after three or four years.

But SHEFC and 바카라사이트 Scottish Office Education and Industry Department are so far responding cautiously. A SHEFC spokeswoman said chief executive John Sizer would meet Sir Graeme to discuss any request to redeploy some of Glasgow's existing funding for 바카라사이트 project.

"We don't have any additional funds earmarked for it," she said.

An SOEID spokesman said: "We need to consider 바카라사이트 full academic, economic and financial implications in 바카라사이트 first instance."

Glasgow expects most of 바카라사이트 students to take its new three-year general degrees in arts and science. They would 바카라사이트n have 바카라사이트 option of switching to specialist courses at Glasgow or elsewhere. Sir Graeme said 바카라사이트re was also a local need for professional development, for example in law and medicine.

The college is only an hour away from 바카라사이트 university, and some staff will teach on site. But a key element will be distance learning through 바카라사이트 pioneering Metropolitan Area Network, 바카라사이트 high-speed information superhighway which already links Scottish institutions.

"Changes in teaching and technology make this an idea that has found its time," Sir Graeme said.