SNP education secretary Jenny Gilruth visited under-threat Dundee University today as the full membership of the government’s recovery taskforce is unveiled.
Ms Gilruth was at the university’s school of life sciences, where she heard about cutting-edge research which contributed to new treatments for conditions like Parkinson’s.
Meeting briefly with interim principal Professor Shane O’Neill, Ms Gilruth said the government is determined to support the university as it attempts to recover from a £35 million deficit.
She also told The Courier the government had full confidence in the university’s current executive group.
Package of support
A package of £22 million has already been provided. Appearing before a Holyrood committee last month, the university’s acting chair said that without the cash it would have run out of money by June.
It comes as the government confirmed the full membership of its recovery taskforce – which is being chaired by former principal Sir Alan Langlands.
The group is charged with advising on the future success of the university.
A total of 13 different organisations and groups will be represented in addition to the university, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council.
These are:
- Universities Scotland
- Abertay University
- University of St Andrews
- Dundee and Angus College
- Trade Union representation
- Students’ Union representation
- Tay Cities Regional Economic Partnership
- Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce
- Scottish Enterprise
- Skills Development Scotland
- NHS Education for Scotland
- Business representation
- Alumni representation
Job losses ‘unpalatable’
Addressing the university’s financial recovery plan (FRP), Ms Gilruth said university bosses were being asked to “think again”, calling the numbers of jobs currently planned to be lost “unpalatable”.
She said: “The government has been really open and the quantum of jobs from the original draft FRP is not palatable to ministers.
“We are asking the university to think again. The senior management team have been open to that ask.
“They are looking with the SFC through a range of proposals to bring the total quantum of job losses down.
“And we are looking at what more support we are able to provide to be able to allow them to do that.”
Ms Gilruth said government would be “pragmatic” about the need staffing reductions.
She added: “Universities are independent of government and we need to be mindful of that too.
“We are looking at what we can do to bring that quantum down. But I think there is an acceptance from trade unions and others there will be a level of jobs losses.”
Professor O’Neill said he was “delighted” to welcome the cabinet secretary.
He added: “We will continue to work with the government and the Scottish Funding Council towards a secure and successful future for the university, and we will also engage fully with the advisory taskforce regarding our wider impact on Dundee, the Tay Cities region and beyond.”
Conversation