Abertay University has been given the go-ahead to restart the hunt for a new principal.
”In these circumstances, there is now no reason for Abertay not to restart the process of recruiting a principal, particularly since the potential for future changes in post-16 provision will be made clear as part of the recruitment process, so that any successful candidate will be expected to take a key role in driving forward changes that emerge from the proposed review process.”
A spokesman for Abertay said it could be some time before an appointment is made. The university is in the process of selecting a recruitment expert to identify prospective candidates, he explained
”At this sort of level people can very often be required to give lengthy periods of notice, so from starting the process to someone taking up the post could be many months,” he added.
Abertay staff will ”take comfort” from the recruitment announcement, a spokesman for the University and College Union said.
”We welcome this positive step,” he added. ”It is good news and we look forward to the process being expedited.
”It is very, very positive and we hope that it will in some way contribute to the continuing existence of Abertay in its current independent form.
”It must be beneficial for the long-term viability of the University of Abertay Dundee.”
Abertay University Students’ Association President William Mohieddeen said the news would provide much-needed reassurance to the student body.
”We welcome that the university has moved to restart the recruitment process,” he said. ”I think that with the announcement there is a general feeling among the students that we can move on from here with a degree of positivity.”
During the anti-merger campaign Labour MSP Jenny Marra was vocal in her support of Abertay as an independent university.
Responding to the announcement, she said: ”I think this is very positive news and I am very glad to hear that Abertay is pressing ahead with their recruitment for a principal.”
The announcement is being seen as a vote of confidence in the future of Abertay as an independent institution after a tumultuous period for the university.
Staff and students welcomed the news that Abertay will have a new permanent head after a gap of almost a year, during which it has had to fend off pressure to merge with its city neighbour Dundee University.
Abertay has been without a principal since Professor Bernard King was suspended in January. Following considerable controversy, his retirement was announced in July.
The hunt for a new principal had barely started when Abertay received a letter from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in early September, asking the university to put the process on hold. That was quickly followed by further correspondence, prompting Abertay to start merger talks with Dundee University.
Following a campaign headed by The Courier, First Minister Alex Salmond announced there would be no forced mergers although talks on ”enhanced collaboration” between Dundee’s two universities have continued.
Against that background, the limbo over the appointment of a new Abertay principal ended on Monday with a joint statement from the university’s acting principal and vice-chancellor Professor Nicholas Terry and chief executive of the SFC Mark Batho.
In it, they said: ”The University of Abertay Dundee can confirm that, following further discussion with the Scottish Funding Council, the paused process for the recruitment of the university’s next permanent principal and vice-chancellor is to be restarted.
”SFC had asked the university court to pause the process while the university undertook a full evaluation and analysis of the role of the university going forward in the light of developments in the post-16 landscape in Tayside and across Scotland.
”Further discussions between the funding council and the universities of Dundee and of Abertay Dundee have been very helpful in opening a dialogue around the shape of long-term provision in and around Tayside and it is expected that this dialogue, also involving other interested parties, will continue.”
Continued…
The announcement is being seen as a vote of confidence in the future of Abertay as an independent institution after a tumultuous period for the university.
Staff and students welcomed the news that Abertay will have a new permanent head after a gap of almost a year, during which it has had to fend off pressure to merge with its city neighbour Dundee University.
Abertay has been without a principal since Professor Bernard King was suspended in January. Following considerable controversy, his retirement was announced in July.
The hunt for a new principal had barely started when Abertay received a letter from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in early September, asking the university to put the process on hold. That was quickly followed by further correspondence, prompting Abertay to start merger talks with Dundee University.
Following a campaign headed by The Courier, First Minister Alex Salmond announced there would be no forced mergers although talks on ”enhanced collaboration” between Dundee’s two universities have continued.
Against that background, the limbo over the appointment of a new Abertay principal ended on Monday with a joint statement from the university’s acting principal and vice-chancellor Professor Nicholas Terry and chief executive of the SFC Mark Batho.
In it, they said: ”The University of Abertay Dundee can confirm that, following further discussion with the Scottish Funding Council, the paused process for the recruitment of the university’s next permanent principal and vice-chancellor is to be restarted.
”SFC had asked the university court to pause the process while the university undertook a full evaluation and analysis of the role of the university going forward in the light of developments in the post-16 landscape in Tayside and across Scotland.
”Further discussions between the funding council and the universities of Dundee and of Abertay Dundee have been very helpful in opening a dialogue around the shape of long-term provision in and around Tayside and it is expected that this dialogue, also involving other interested parties, will continue.”
Continued…
The announcement is being seen as a vote of confidence in the future of Abertay as an independent institution after a tumultuous period for the university.
Staff and students welcomed the news that Abertay will have a new permanent head after a gap of almost a year, during which it has had to fend off pressure to merge with its city neighbour Dundee University.
Abertay has been without a principal since Professor Bernard King was suspended in January. Following considerable controversy, his retirement was announced in July.
The hunt for a new principal had barely started when Abertay received a letter from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in early September, asking the university to put the process on hold. That was quickly followed by further correspondence, prompting Abertay to start merger talks with Dundee University.
Following a campaign headed by The Courier, First Minister Alex Salmond announced there would be no forced mergers although talks on ”enhanced collaboration” between Dundee’s two universities have continued.
Against that background, the limbo over the appointment of a new Abertay principal ended on Monday with a joint statement from the university’s acting principal and vice-chancellor Professor Nicholas Terry and chief executive of the SFC Mark Batho.
In it, they said: ”The University of Abertay Dundee can confirm that, following further discussion with the Scottish Funding Council, the paused process for the recruitment of the university’s next permanent principal and vice-chancellor is to be restarted.
”SFC had asked the university court to pause the process while the university undertook a full evaluation and analysis of the role of the university going forward in the light of developments in the post-16 landscape in Tayside and across Scotland.
”Further discussions between the funding council and the universities of Dundee and of Abertay Dundee have been very helpful in opening a dialogue around the shape of long-term provision in and around Tayside and it is expected that this dialogue, also involving other interested parties, will continue.”
Continued…