Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes says students should be “confident” in Dundee University’s future after investigators were appointed to probe the financial crisis.
Audit firm BDO has been named as the team who will carry out the independent investigation – which is being overseen by former Glasgow Caledonian University principal Professor Pamela Gillies.
The probe is charged with identifying the causes of the university’s current position after interim principal Professor Shane O’Neill admitted governance errors had been made.
The deputy first minister says the appointment of BDO is an “important step” forward.
She is also urging students deciding which university to attend later this year to accept offers from Dundee University.
‘Students should accept Dundee University offers’
Ms Forbes said: “I want to be clear that students should accept their offers from the University and can be confident in its future.
“This is a great institution with a global reputation for research and innovation, and we are clear Dundee will continue to play a vital role in the economic, social and cultural life of the city and beyond.”
Questions have been raised about the financial controls in place and why the university’s ruling body were not aware of the looming crisis sooner.
Dundee University has committed to working with the independent investigation transparently.
Investigators given ‘full access’
The Scottish Funding Council said an examination of the university’s management and governance will be among the work carried out.
The team conducting the probe will have “full access” to relevant documents and will meet with university management, trade unions, regulators and former members of staff.
Firm behind probe ‘experienced’ in management of universities in distress
Announcing the appointment of BDO, the SFC said the firm is “highly experienced” in financial management of universities in distress.
The team has also undertaken investigations on behalf of government, funders and regulators in the past, as well as handling the liquidation of Rangers and the administration of Inverness Caley Thistle, Dunfermline and Hearts.
They join a string of other figures involved in working out what went wrong at the university and how it can recover.
Jacqui Brasted, the SFC’s interim director of access, learning and outcomes, said it is “vital” the challenges at Dundee University are “investigated with rigour” so lessons can be learned.
Professor O’Neill previously told The Courier that the institution’s financial reporting under the previous principal “wasn’t what it should have been”.
He said: “In terms of the management of our overall cash position, that’s one of the elements that wasn’t sufficiently scrutinised.”
And appearing before Holyrood’s education committee in March, the principal also refused to rule out potential criminality.
Recovery taskforce
The independent investigation will be carried out separately to the recovery taskforce which has been established to advise the university and government.
It will be chaired by former Dundee University principal Sir Alan Langlands.
Professor O’Neill has also appointed a separate team of advisers to provide guidance as he attempts to chart a path to recovery.
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