LECTURERS at two universities facing a proposed merger called for a "public" dialogue as they invited the Education Secretary to meet academics to discuss their future.
Dr Andrew Samuel, honorary secretary of Abertay Dundee University and College Union, has written to Michael Russell asking him to attend a meeting on the attempt to bring together Dundee and Abertay universities.
The Scottish Funding Council has invited the two institutions to consider merging but Dr Samuel’s letter, supported by Dundee University UCU, Abertay Dundee University UCU, Abertay Dundee Students Association and Dundee University Students, said academics were “alarmed” at a lack of consultation.
Dr Samuel said while the threat of forced merger had receded, they were “anxious that the continuing language used in discussing the future independence of Abertay and Dundee as universities, and collaboration between the institutions, is rather ambiguous making it difficult for the productive engagement of our representative groups”.
He said: “Both students and staff accept that the delivery of post-16 educational provision is a dynamic, ever changing, issue, and to this extent we are not at all averse to improvements.
“Full consultation must take place with not only staff and students, but also the wider civic Dundee interest, at a speed which allows for any dialogue to be properly facilitated.”
He invited Mr Russell to speak at a stakeholder meeting on November 4.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Cabinet Secretary has been clear that while this is an issue for the Scottish Funding Council, he is keen to engage with the university and college sectors and has written to all college principals to do exactly that.
“We have received this invitation today and it will be considered as a matter of urgency as the Cabinet Secretary would be happy to attend this meeting.”
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