22 June 2001

Merger approval welcomed

JOINT PRESS RELEASE FROM NORTHERN COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN AND UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE

Northern College, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Dundee today welcomed the Scottish Executive's approval of plans which will lead to the merging of the College's Dundee campus with the University of Dundee and its Aberdeen campus with the University of Aberdeen.

Acknowledging that negotiations and discussions have been long and complex,the Principals of the three institutions joined to give a tripartite statement welcoming the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Wendy Alexander's approval.

The primary objective of the mergers is to enhance the provision of teacher education, and the training of social work and community education professionals in the north east of Scotland by embedding these subjects in the multi-disciplinary context of the two universities. In Aberdeen this means teacher education will now be carried out at the University of Aberdeen. In Dundee, teacher education, social work and community education will be absorbed into a new Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Dundee.

We look forward to moving ahead with these plans. The fine detail has still to be cleared up but we are working towards a merger date in October.

QUOTE
Principal of the University of Dundee Sir Alan Langlands said:"I am delighted with the long awaited news that the merger proposals with Northern College have now received official ministerial approval. We have long been convinced that such a move is in the interests of prospective teachers, social workers and community education professionals in Tayside as well as serving the needs of the local community."