SCOTLAND'S agricultural college, the SRUC, is to rationalise its education and research centres in both the north-east and the south of Scotland, with its Craibstone Campus in Aberdeen, and the Barony College in Dumfriesshire, the most likely casualties.
Breaking this news, SRUC chairman Lord Jamie Lindsay insisted that the SRUC remained ambitious about its future, but had an obligation to organise its resources to put itself in the "strongest possible position for success" - and in the north east of Scotland, its priority was to concentrate the majority of its research and education activities in one location, possibly next to the Thainstone Agricultural Centre outside Inverurie.
SRUC has a similar ambition for its work in the south of Scotland, where it could concentrate its activities by moving teaching from Barony Campus and be based in a new facility alongside the existing SRUC research and consultancy base at its Crichton Campus. According to the college, this new centre would give the staff currently based at Barony improved facilities within which to teach.
While subject to full scoping studies over the coming months, the timescales for developments in the north east and in Dumfries and Galloway could be up to four years. At the same time, SRUC said it was also considering options for its current campus at King's Buildings in the middle of Edinburgh.
The college's acting chief executive Janet Swadling said that members of staff and SRUC stakeholders will all be closely consulted on the restructure.
For in-depth news and views on issues facing Scottish agriculture, see this Friday's issue of The Scottish Farmer or visit thescottishfarmer.co.uk
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