Professor Robert Cormack FRSE Principal, UHI

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Professor Robert Cormack FRSEPrincipal, UHI

• FACE Annual Conference 2008

Creating the University of the Highlands and
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Development of Scottish universities

• The ancients (15th 16th centuries) St Andrews,
  Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh
• The chartered universities (1960s) Strathclyde,
  Heriot Watt, Dundee, Stirling
• The post-1992 universities Abertay, Paisley,
  Robert Gordon, Glasgow Caledonian, Napier
• 2007 Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

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Development of UHI

• 1992 Project established
• 1996 Millennium Commission funding
• 2001 Higher education institution status
• 2002 Research funding
• 2004 Parity of funding for teaching
• 2008 Taught degree awarding powers
• University title thereafter

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UHI mission
To be a distinctive and innovative regional
university of national and international
significance a university with a pivotal role in
the educational, economic, social, cultural and
environmental infrastructure of its region and
which reaches out to the people of the Highlands
and Islands and the rest of the world through its
research and teaching.
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Structure of UHI

• Fourteen partners
• Further education colleges
• Specialist colleges
• Research institutions
• Over 100 outreach learning centres
• Using technology to help people learn with and
  from each other

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Governance The Constitution

• UHIMI - Company limited by guarantee
• Memorandum Articles of UHIMI
• UHIMI-AP Agreements
• Scottish Order designating HEI Status
• Privy Council Order specifying tDAP

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Collegiate-Federal Model
UHIMI
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Basic Framework of Governance

• Board of Governors
• Executive Board Academic Council
• Faculties
• Subject Networks

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Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI,
Dunstaffnage
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Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI,
Dunstaffnage
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Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI, Isle of Skye
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North Highland College UHI, Thurso
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UKAEA Dounreay, Caithness
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NAFC Marine Centre UHI, Scalloway
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Highland Theological College UHI, Dingwall
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Perth College UHI, Perth
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Sustainable Development Research Centre, Forres
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Profile

• Nearly 7000 students on university level courses
• 60 of students over 25 years of age and 57
  studying part-time
• Nearly 1500 undergraduate and postgraduate degree
  awards
• A developing research portfolio of international
  standing
• Independently assessed quality standards
  equivalent to long established universities

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UHI Awards
Award 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 200
6/07 HNC 418 719 867 985 982 945 HND
74 277 291 464 375 326 PDA 0 12 55 113 99 112 S
VQ4 0 2 7 8 33 64 AdvCert 19 44 75 98 110 122
AdvDip 0 0 0 0 0 6 total SQA 511 1,054 1,295 1,6
68 1,599 1,575 Hons 0 9 11 16 14
21 Ord 164 164 189 211 209 229 MA/Sc 4 3 6 10
3 13 total degrees 168 176 206 237 226 263

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Funding 2006-07
Funding Council 20.0m Student fees
5.2m Funding Council (Research) 2.4m HI
Enterprise 2.7m European Union
2.1m Others 4.2m 36.6m
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Route to University Title

• 1999 Act Route via Quality Assurance Agency
• taught Degree Awarding Powers (tDAP) 2008
• research Degree Awarding Powers (rDAP)
• (Replaced by sponsorship model Aberdeen,
  Edinburgh and Strathclyde Universities)
• University Title 2009?

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Tmescales to University Title

• tDAP rDAP Title
• Queen Margaret University 1992 1998 2007
• English Universities old rules
• Univ. of Northampton 1993 2005 2005
• Univ. of Gloucestershire 1992 1998 2001
• Univ. of Bolton 1992 1995 2005

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Recent Audits Assessments of UHI

• QAA Audits of 1999 and 2003
• 18 QAA Subject Reviews between 2001 and 2006
• OUVS Institutional Reviews in 2001 and 2004
• 54 OUVS Programme Validations and Re-validations
• SQA Audits in 2003, 2004 and 2006
• SHEFC institutional visit in 2004
• Aberdeen University research degree accreditation
  followed by
• - four validations in 2004/05
• - two validations in 2005/06, and
• - two validations in 2006/07
• QAA tDAP scrutiny in 2006
• QAA ELIR (Enhancement Led Institutional Review)
  in April and May 2007
• and HMI inspections of our FE (or Scottish
  Colleges) partners.
• QAA tDAP Scrutiny Panel visit January 2008

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Faculties and subject networks

• Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Gaelic and Related Studies Visual Arts Music
  and Performing Arts Theology and Religious
  Studies Social, Cultural and Environmental
  Studies Child Care and Education
• Business and Leisure
• Business Studies Management Leisure and
  Tourism Computing and ICT
• Science and Technology
• Agriculture Natural Sciences Sustainable
  Development Marine Science Engineering
  Construction
• Health
• Health Social Care Beauty and Associated
  Therapies

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7 Stages of Networked Delivery

• Common Core Frameworks and Local Options agreed
• Common Assessments and Assessment Strategy Agreed
• Common Core Teaching Materials shared and
  developed
• Learning and Teaching within an Academic Partner
  blended using ICT and face to face as appropriate
• Common delivery schedule and timetabling agreed
  across partners
• Cross teaching of selected modules with online
  and blended support
• Learning and Teaching materials wholly online/
  distance, with local facilitator support as
  required.

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4 Levels of VLE Use

• VLE Informed campus/ class based attendance,
  module outlines, teaching plans, basic resources
  and guides
• VLE Supported majority class and face to
  face/VC, materials available as support through
  the VLE, learning activities, interaction,
  formative assessment opportunities
• VLE Enabled majority of learning and teaching
  through the VLE and other ICT resources. Very
  little fixed attendance at a physical location
• VLE Based all online, distance or ICT
  supported, no fixed attendance at a physical
  location required.

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• Networking
• VLE

7 Stages Audit and Planning Tool
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Regional Development
Regional Development Great economies are built
on great universities Bill Joy, former CEO of
Sun Systems Smart, Successful Highlands and
Islands, Highlands and Islands
Enterprise Priority for Action Harnessing
the University of the Highlands and Islands as a
global magnet, enriching the regions academic,
cultural and creative mix and providing a driver
for knowledge transfer and commercialisation
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Research

• Marine and Environmental Science (SAMS, Perth,
  North Highland)
• Health (Diabetes Institute, Centre for Rural
  Health)
• Nuclear Decommissioning and Environmental
  Remediation (North Highland)
• Renewable Energy (Lews Castle, Shetland, Orkney,
  North Highland, Perth)
• Nordic Studies (Orkney and Shetland Colleges)

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Research continued

• Gaelic Language and Culture (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig,
  Lews Castle)
• Highlands Islands History (North Highland)
• UHI PolicyWeb (Inverness)
• Agronomy (Orkney)
• Theology (Highland Theological College)
• Archaeology and Geophysics (Orkney)

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Main Quality Research Grant (2007-08)
Edinburgh University 57,345,000 Gl
asgow University 40,487,000 Dundee
University 18,414,000 Strathclyde
University 17,969,000 St Andrews
University 14,418,000 Aberdeen
University 13,896,000 Heriot-Watt University
9,007,000 Stirling University
8,654,000 Glasgow Caledonian University
2,149,000 Glasgow School of Art
1,545,000 Napier University
1,374,000 Edinburgh College of Art
1,113,000 Queen Margaret University College
569,000 UHI Millennium Institute
553,000 Paisley University 465,000 Robert
Gordon University 374,000 Abertay
University 343,000 Bell College
- Open University in Scotland
- RSAMD -
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A Growing PartnershipIndividual small and remote
institutions

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A Growing PartnershipTogether a significant
resource

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University of the Highlands and Islands
Development Trust
Patrons The Rt Hon the Lord James Mackay of
Clashfern KT Robert L McDowell, Vice
President Information Worker Business Value,
Microsoft Corporation
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University of the Highlands and Islands
Overcoming the tyranny of geography. Helping
make the Highlands and Islands wealthier and
fairer, smarter, healthier, safer and stronger,
and greener
Creating the University of the Highlands and
Islands