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Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)

Established 2012, following the merger of Barony, Oatridge, Elmwood Colleges with the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC).

Acting Chief Executive Janet Swadling

Chairman Lord Jamie Lindsay

Staff 1,500

Students 8,500

Headquarters Edinburgh, Scotland

Other Campus Locations Aberdeen, Ayr, Cupar, Dumfries and Galloway, West Lothian

Intro

Established in 2012 through the merger of Barony, Elmwood, Oatridge Colleges and the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is a higher education institution that combines education, consulting and research.

SRUC students study land-based courses on sites throughout Scotland from further education to PhD level. The organisation’s Research Division carries out cutting-edge research firmly rooted in the agriculture and rural sector while the Consulting Division, SAC Consulting, works with more than 12,000 clients in rural businesses and associated industries.

The college has six campuses across Scotland while the Consulting arm has 26 offices located both in Scotland and in the north of England, as well as eight veterinary surveillance centres. SRUC’s Research Division operates in six research centres, and SRUC also runs eight farms for both research and educational purposes.

Much of SRUC’s work is carried out in partnership with government departments, local authorities and other academic and research organisations.

SRUC’s mission is to be committed to excellence in the advancement, communication and translation of knowledge throughout the rural sector. Its vision is leading innovation and sustainable development in agriculture, land and the rural sector.

Contents:

1. History

1.1 The Barony College

1.2 Elmwood College

1.3 Oatridge College

1.4 Scottish Agricultural College (SAC)

2. SRUC Education

2.1 Courses

2.2 Campuses

3. SRUC Research

3.1 Research Groups

4. SAC Consulting

4.1 Veterinary and Advisory Services Programme

4.2 Disease Surveillance Centres

History

Scotland’s Rural College‘s heritage stretches back more than 100 years through many smaller institutions which have merged. The current organisation came into being on 1 October 2012 after land-based colleges Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge merged with the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC).

The Barony College

Before it became a college the 300 acre Barony estate had a varied existence. It was an elegant home, a home for the elderly, a wartime army training camp and, up until 1947, a prisoner of war camp. In 1949 Dumfries County Council Education Department purchased the estate with the purpose of turning it into an agricultural school. The Barony Farm School opened in 1953, with a class 46 boys of 14 to 15 years of age.

Day release classes in general agriculture and agricultural engineering began 1962, and ten years later the school became the Barony Agricultural College. The 70s and 80s saw the range of courses on offer expand to include National Certificates in agriculture, fish farming, forestry, countryside rangers, horticulture, animal care, veterinary nursing and equine studies. By this time most students at the college were studying full time.

A new teaching block complete with a large sports hall, a multigym and a bar was opened in 1992. The new millennium brought massive investment in Animal Care and Veterinary Nursing, an Equine Unit and a Forestry Technology Centre. The Dairy Technology Centre was opened in 2006, complete with a robotic milking system.

Elmwood College

While Elmwood College did not officially open its doors until 1972, its foundations were laid 20 years earlier holding classes in the local school and cricket club before Fife County Council Education Committee acquired some land and erected a Nissen hut. This was followed by the purchase of the adjacent property of Elmwood House, Gardens and Greenhouses in 1953 for the sum of £2,300.

In 1956 the first day release classes in Scotland for agricultural and horticultural apprentices commenced at Elmwood Agricultural Centre. Elmwood College continued to expand during the early 1960s and this culminated in the construction of a new building, completed in 1972. By then Elmwood had also acquired Stratheden Hospital Farm. The College was officially opened in 1972 by Sir Hector Munro.

Elmwood is well know for is golf education and construction of the golf course began in 1995 with special attention being given to both the quality of the course and consideration of the local environment. Opened in 1997 the Elmwood course was Geo Certified in 2013; this environmental plaudit is only awarded to courses which prove they are working as sustainably as possible.

Oatridge College

Still awaiting history from a colleague

The Scottish Agricultural College

Three agricultural colleges were created in the east, north and west of Scotland around the close of the 19th century. They fulfilled a critical need to transfer the growing scientific knowledge of agricultural issues like soil condition, drainage, use of manures and animal diseases, to farmers and the general public. In 1899 the agricultural department of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College amalgamated with the Scottish Dairy Institute and formed the West of Scotland Agricultural College. Originally based in Glasgow, the organisation began moving to Ayrshire when in 1927 the Auchincruive estate was left to the College by John Hannah of Girvan Mains.

The Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agriculture was formed in 1901 and grew so rapidly its premises in the city’s George Square had to be expanded in 1904. In 1913 they formed a Joint Committee on Research in Animal Breeding with the University of Edinburgh.

North of Scotland College of Agriculture (NOSCA) began in 1904 in Aberdeen through grants from ten benefactors including most of the local councils nearby. In 1914 it moved to the Craibstone Estate, which is still a campus today.

In 1990 these three major agricultural colleges merged to form the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC). SAC’s three main divisions offered research, education and consultancy.

In October 2012, SAC merged with Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge Colleges to form Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). SRUC delivers research, education and consultancy to lead innovation and sustainable development in the agriculture and rural sector.

SRUC Education

SRUC Education delivers a variety of land-based courses. It aims to become the UK’s leading agriculturally-focused Higher Education Institution, where students can enjoy enhanced opportunities to progress in their studies from access level through to PhD.

Courses

The further education and degree programmes at Scotland’s Rural College are grouped into six main departments:

Agriculture and Business Management, Animal and Equine, Engineering, Science and Technology, Environment and Countryside, Horticulture and Landscape, and Sport and Tourism.

Students can study at all levels – from access courses and vocational studies, through undergraduate programmes covering HNC, HND and undergraduate degree courses, to taught postgraduate programmes and PhDs.

Campuses

SRUC has six campuses located throughout Scotland, each offering a varied land-based education courses.

SRUC Aberdeen

This campus is based on Craibstone Estate just outside Aberdeen in the north east of Scotland. As well as halls of residence and a library the campus also boasts many sporting opportunities with an Astroturf pitch, a gym, sauna and steam room and a golf course. Courses on offer in Aberdeen include agriculture, organic farming and countryside and environmental management.

SRUC Ayr

SRUC students share this state-of-the-art campus with students from the University of the West of Scotland. The £81 million facility was opened in September 2011 and was awarded the internationally recognised BREEAM Excellence rating for its environmentally friendly design. As well as student accommodation the campus has a library and a diverse range of sporting activities, including climbing and horse riding, are available. Courses on offer in Ayr include sports coaching and development and sustainable building technology.

SRUC Barony

Barony Campus is set in a working 260 hectare estate in Dumfries and Galloway in south west Scotland. As well as the usual student facilities such as library and accommodation the campus is home to the Scottish Dairy technology Centre and the Scottish Forestry Technology Centre. Courses on offer at Barony include animal care, equine studies and forestry and arboriculture.

SRUC Edinburgh

Located on the south side of the capital this campus is shared with the University of Edinburgh. This allows students to access the university’s facilities, both academic and recreational, as well as SRUC’s. As well as libraries and cafes the campus also has sporting amenities and is just a ten minute bus journey from the city centre. Courses on offer in Edinburgh include horticulture, applied animal science and rural resource management.

SRUC Elmwood

SRUC Elmwood is based in Cupar, a small town in Fife approximately nine miles from St Andrews. As well having as a professional golf course, students have the opportunity to play badminton, table tennis and football, or work out in the gym. Courses on offer at Elmwood include conservation, greenkeeping and gamekeeping.

SRUC Oatridge

Situated in West Lothian (just outside of Edinburgh), SRUC’s Oatridge Campus is set on a large estate which includes a working farm, home to beef cattle, sheep and pigs. As well as a student accommodation and a library, there is also a nine hole golf course, and the campus is home to the Scottish National Equestrian Centre (SNEC). Courses on offer at Oatridge include farriery and forge work, and land-based engineering.

SRUC Research

SRUC Research seeks to address major challenges posed by the growing human population, and increasing demand for food, in a world with a potentially dramatically changing climate and with growing pressure on its natural resources. SRUC Research aims to benefit the rural economy and rural communities and enhance their environment.

Research Groups

SRUC’s Research Division is divided into four interdisciplinary research groups; each of which are devoted to different, often overlapping, areas of land-based research.

Animal Health and Veterinary Science Group: This group is focused on animal science and in particular; genetics, genomics, animal behaviour and welfare, nutrition, disease and epidemiology.

Crop and Soil Systems Research Group: This group’s hopes to help develop resilient and sustainable systems of crop production that are economically viable, but also environmentally and socially acceptable.

Future Farming Systems Research Group: This group aims to understand and engage with farmers and so help improve farming systems both nationally and internationally.

Land Economy, Environment and Society Research Group: This group’s research aims to improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of rural areas.

SAC Consulting

SAC Consulting provides a range of consultancy services to more than 12,000 customers in the UK and worldwide. Working from 26 consultancy offices and eight veterinary disease surveillance centres, more than 400 consultants, veterinarians, technicians and support staff provide independent advice to rural businesses and associated industries.

Some of the main areas SAC Consulting works in are; food and drink, estate management, renewable energy, Premium Health Schemes (to keep animals healthy), woodlands services, rural business and farm diversification.

Veterinary and Advisory Services Programme

SAC Consulting also runs the Veterinary and Advisory Services (VAS) programme on behalf of the Scottish Government. This programme aims to support Scottish farmers and crofters and through this SRUC provides free expertise and advice in many areas including: crop health monitoring, bee health and husbandry, climate change issues, pollution control, food marketing, the Renewable Heat Incentive, farm woodland and conservation and organic farming.

Disease Surveillance Centres

As part of the VAS programme SAC Consulting vets collect data from diagnostic material submitted to the network of SAC Consulting Veterinary Disease Surveillance Centres (DSCs). This is then used to provide information on the current health and disease status of farmed livestock. There are eight such centres in Scotland, found in Aberdeen, Ayr, Dumfries, Edinburgh, Inverness, Perth, St Boswells and Thurso.