SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR CRICHTON (Jim Hume)

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR CRICHTON

August 28, 2007 12:00 AM

Jim Hume, MSP for the South of Scotland, this morning met with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning during a visit to the Crichton Campus in Dumfries and Galloway and took the opportunity to ask the Minister about the future of the campus.

Jim Hume said:-

"Having the prestige of Glasgow University providing courses to the South West of Scotland is an economic and social boon for the area. Earlier in the year the University announced it would not be recruiting new liberal arts undergraduate students for this academic year which was very disappointing.

"Before the election I campaigned on two key issues - to keep the University on site and to keep the liberal arts undergraduate provision in its current form. And after the election I called on the Executive to secure Crichton's future by way of a Parliamentary motion.

"This week we heard from the Scottish Executive that £1.5million had been made available and that undergraduate recruitment on to the liberal arts will begin for next academic year.

The MSP continued:-

"The additional money will go towards three main areas - the phased introduction of an additional (i.e. new) 80 undergraduate places for Initial Teacher Education phased in over the next 3 years; 20 new postgraduate places as part of the Carbon Centre Project, which would see the University of Glasgow offer an MSc in Carbon Studies; and funding to cover the infrastructure costs and transfer of Glasgow's share of the Crichton infrastructure costs to Paisley.

"After many months of campaigning and meeting with all the stakeholders, the additional money from the Executive is good news, but the challenge now will be for Glasgow University to ensure its marketing and recruitment strategy is developed because everything must now be done to ensure that prospective students apply and I shall be raising that point with the University.

"It should be made clear that good things are happening at Crichton and the recent announcement will encourage new students to apply to a campus which has a huge amount to offer.

"Next week Parliament will debate the issue and I hope to be able to contribute to the discussion."