Campaigners have declared victory after First Minister Alex Salmond promised there will be no forced merger of Dundee and Abertay universities.
The SNP leader, who failed to rule out the move only last week (link), capitulated in the face of a groundswell of opinion led by The Courier against the controversial plan to amalgamate the two institutions.
During First Minister’s Questions at the Scottish Parliament, he said: ”Just as there will be no closure of any college or university in Scotland, there will be no forced merger either.”
The pledge followed days of uncertainty in the wake of both universities receiving letters from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) telling them to begin urgent discussions over a merger.
A Scottish Government pre-legislative paper on post-16 education, published earlier this month, proposes to give ministers the power to ”require” universities to ”implement” mergers suggested by the SFC.
But Mr Salmond’s remarks lifted the threat of forced merger a development that was immediately welcomed by students and staff at the two institutions.
A spokesman for Abertay University said: ”We are pleased to hear the First Minister confirm that there will be no forced mergers of universities in Scotland. We have repeatedly said that neither ourselves nor Dundee University currently have any plans to merge.
”However, we have agreed to take a leading role in a thorough review of post-16 education across Tayside, in partnership with the Scottish Funding Council and other institutions.”
Dundee’s two SNP MSPs Shona Robison and Joe FitzPatrick had earlier held an emergency meeting with Education Secretary Michael Russell over the controversy. They issued a joint statement saying they had lobbied for the threat of imposed merger to be lifted to allow the two universities to discuss ways of sharing services and saving money.
”We have been working hard behind the scenes to address the concerns raised over this issue and are pleased that in our latest meeting we received reassurance that Abertay and Dundee universities would not be forced to merge,” they said.
”Now that this issue has been clarified it is important that both universities look at ways that they can work together to deliver efficiency saving through shared services in order to protect student numbers and opportunity in these financially challenging times.”
Labour list MSP Jenny Marra, who campaigned against the merger at Holyrood, said she was ”very relieved” by the news.
”The SNP government has had to respond to huge pressure from staff, students and people in Dundee who know that the two universities work well together, side by side,” she said.
”It is especially relieving for the Government to clarify that there will be no forced mergers at this time of year when students are deciding which universities to apply to.
”The promise of no forced merger removes the uncertainty that can harm applications and student numbers.”
But Mr Salmond made clear the universities will still be required to come up with proposals which could include a merger to share services and cut costs.
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He also signalled unease at the way Abertay University has been managed in recent months. He specifically referenced concerns about the suspension and subsequent retirement of former principal Professor Bernard King.
There have been concerns about the legal bill racked up by the university during the dispute and the retirement package given to Prof King, which included the library being named after him.
”It is entirely reasonable given the circumstances of the last year or so affecting Abertay and its governance for the university funding council to have concerns,” the First Minister said.
”That would be a reasonable concern to have given the amount of money devoted to these things can have severe implications on the amount of money available for staff and students.
”I hope and believe that the response of both universities will be to demonstrate that they have a plan that will achieve efficiencies and value for money for the public purse in a way that they find compatible with their future.”
The Abertay spokesman said the university believes it can make a ”compelling academic and financial case” for continuing as a ”dynamic and vibrant autonomous institution”.
Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesman Liam McArthur warned there is still a danger of a merger being forced on the two universities by the back door.
”Through the funding council and control of budgets, ministers can still leave institutions with no option but to bend to their will,” Mr McArthur said.
Tory education spokeswoman Liz Smith pointed out: ”It is absolutely crucial that mergers are not forced on to universities. It is not for central government to dictate whether there is a merger or not.”
A Dundee University spokesman said they would not be commenting further on the matter until the court had considered its response to the SFC’s letter.