UHI Millennium Institute

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UHI Millennium Institute
UHI logo.png
Motto Foghlam aig ìre Oilthigh air a' Ghaidhealtachd is anns na h-Eileanan
University-level study in the Highlands and Islands
Established 1992
Type federal, public
Rector Dr Val MacIver
Principal James Fraser[1]
Students 5,220[2]
Location Inverness (Executive Office), Scotland
Website http://www.uhi.ac.uk/

The UHI Millennium Institute (Scottish Gaelic: Institiùd OGE nam Mìle Bliadhna) is a federation of 13 colleges and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland delivering higher education. It is incorporated as a charity and limited company and its executive office is in Inverness, in the Highland council area.

In April 2001 the Scottish Parliament awarded UHI Higher Education Institute status, and it now provides university level courses. UHI degrees were authenticated by the Open University Validation Service, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Aberdeen until 2008 when the UHI was awarded taught degree awarding powers (tDAP) by the Privy Council[3][4] under recommendation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)[5]; Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma courses are awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority. University status in the UK is awarded by the Privy Council and has not yet been granted to the UHI, but a major step has been taken with taught degree awarding powers (tDAP) recently being granted. If granted, the 'University of the Highlands and Islands' has been touted as the likely name for the institution.

The UHI logo in Gaelic

UHI has a number of distinctive undergraduate, Masters and research programmes. All use the Highlands and Islands as the starting point to look to the wider world and most can be studied at a range of locations across the area.

In the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, courses such as Honours programmes in Gaelic, [6], BA (Hons) Theological Studies [7], BA (Hons) Scottish History [8] and BA (Hons) Scottish Cultural Studies [9] all reflect the distinctive nature of the region, its past, present and future. This last course, BA (Hons) Scottish Cultural Studies is a groundbreaking interdisciplinary programme which has been internationally recognised by receiving the 2005 Times Higher Education Supplement Award for Most Imaginative Use of Distance Learning. Other programmes within the Faculty include MLitt Orkney & Shetland Studies, MLitt Highlands & Islands Literature, BSc Audio Engineering, BA Classical Ballet & Dance Performance, BA (Hons) Fine Art, BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance, and many many others.

UHI Millennium Institute Executive Office

The Faculty of Business and Leisure offers distinctive programmes in Golf Management [10] - Scotland's only degree of this kind - Outdoor Adventure Management[11] - using Lochaber, the UK's Outdoor Capital as a living research laboratory - as well as popular courses in Business, Accounting, Hospitality, Computing, Sports Coaching and Tourism.

The Faculty of Science & Technology has a strong research dimension with high-quality work in Renewables, Marine Science, Sustainable Rural Development and Environmental Issues. A fully online Honours degree programme is available across the UK from this faculty. The BSc(Hons) Sustainable Rural Development [12] is an example of a multi-disciplinary programme from this Faculty and due to its flexible delivery options is popular with practitioners and adult returners to education.The programme has professional accreditation from the Institution of Economic Development. The Faculty of Science also offers postgraduate studies too. For example the MSc in Managing Sustainable Development[13] is a popular online option available across the UK. This Masters programme also has professional accreditation from the Institution of Economic Development.

Through its Faculty of Health and Education, UHI has strong links with the new Centre for Health Sciences located behind Raigmore Hospital. This is being funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Scottish Executive and Johnson and Johnson. Phase I of this opened in early 2007, phase II is under construction and phase III has been funded. The University of Stirling is moving its operations from Raigmore Hospital to the CHS.

[edit] New campus plans

Architects and planning agents have been appointed to draw up a master plan for the proposed new Inverness College UHI campus which will include research facilities, a business school, student residences and a regional sports centre of excellence.

The 200-acre campus at Beechwood, just off the A9 south of Inverness, is considered to be one of the most important developments for the region over the next 20 years. An outline planning application could be submitted by early 2009.

MAKE Architects and planning agents Turnberry Consulting have been appointed to come up with the blueprint. The principal of UHI, James Fraser, said: “This is a flagship development which will provide Inverness with a university campus and vibrant student life. It will have a major impact on the city and on the Highlands and Islands. UHI is a partnership of colleges and research centres throughout the region, and the development of any one partner brings strength to the whole institution."[14]

[edit] Key dates for UHI

  • 1992 - UHI Project established
  • 1996 - Millennium Commission funding awarded
  • 1998 - Open University confirms degree validation backing
  • 2001 - Higher education institution status granted
  • 2002 - Research funding awarded
  • 2005 - Application for taught degree awarding powers lodged with the Privy Council
  • 2008 - Taught degree awarding powers granted

[edit] Constituents

[edit] Colleges

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Professor James Fraser — UHI Millennium Institute
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ UHI is awarded taught degree awarding powers, news release 26 June 2008, Highland Council website, accessed 20 March 2009
  4. ^ [2]
  5. ^ A brief guide to QAA's involvement in degree-awarding powers and university title, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) website, accessed 20 March 2009
  6. ^ Sabhal Mòr Ostaig - Full-time Courses - Choose a Course
  7. ^ HTC On-Line - BA Degree Introduction
  8. ^ http://www.uhi.ac.uk/scottishhistory
  9. ^ http://www.orkney.uhi.ac.uk/culture/
  10. ^ http://www.uhi.ac.uk/golfmanagement
  11. ^ Lochaber College, Study and Gain Qualifcations in and Around Fort William. Lochaber College is part of the UHI
  12. ^ Sustainable science, heritage and development — UHI Millennium Institute
  13. ^ Sustainable science, heritage and development — UHI Millennium Institute
  14. ^ [3]
  15. ^ North Highland College management, college website, accessed 27 April 2009

[edit] External links

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