University of the HIghlands and island a formal reality today

Scotland’s Highlands and Islands will today see themselves host to the most widespread university in the UK – the University of the Highlands and islands – or UHI.

This is a novel concept responsive to the nature of the place – a necklace of university colleges at strategic points of the underpopulated and beautiful region,.

While it may have seen something like an elephant’s gestation in being Eighteen years in the making, UHI already has an established specialism of international regard.

These include:

• research and teaching in marine science, at the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) at Dunstaffnage in Argyll;
• archaeology at Orkney College, with the islands’ huge wealth of archaeological clusters on its doorstep;
• and Gaelic, at the spectacular Gaelic speaking college, Sabhal Mor Ostaig, on the Isle of Skye, on the north shore of the Sound of Sleat.

Sabhal Mor Ostaig has, of course, pioneered very successful courses in Gaelic media, supported by the fabulous Fas broadcast studios on its campus.

Education Secretary, Michael Russell, will register the birth of the University of the Highlands and Islands today, in an official announcement in Inverness.

This is a cross – party success, having been supported by a variety of administrations over UHI’s long coming to fruition, so today will be a moment of collective delight and achievement at Holyrood.

In this case, momentum is now outwards and upwards.