Applications now open for Chair of Transition Board to oversee merger of UHI North Highland, UHI Outer Hebrides and UHI West Highland
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A NEW key position for the planned merger of three UHI colleges branches in the north is now open for applications.
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is now looking for a Chair of Transition Board which will oversee the transition of UHI North Highland, UHI Outer Hebrides and UHI West Highland to a unified body.
Earlier this month the boards of management at the three colleges formally approved the merger proposal and business case, which has now been submitted to the Scottish Government for approval.
A UHI Spokesperson said: "The colleges are looking for an innovative and effective leader, who shares their vision for a new merged college of scale and impact in the North and West Highlands and Hebrides, which will have a transformative role on the prosperity of its rural and island communities.
"By coming together, UHI North Highland, UHI Outer Hebrides and UHI West Highland will create a new college of scale and impact for the North and West Highlands and Hebrides. The new college will become a more sustainable organisation with combined capacity and resource to grow curriculum, research and innovation; develop our partnerships to support employers and address the skills shortages in our area; and become more responsive to the social, cultural, and economic opportunities in our regions.
"With 9000 students, 600 staff and 19 learning centres and campuses stretching from Caithness and Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty to Lochaber, Wester Ross, Skye, and the Outer Hebrides, the merged college is ideally placed to develop Gaelic language provision and respond to the region’s key growth sectors including the economic opportunities around net zero decarbonisation, renewable energy, engineering, advanced manufacturing, and aquaculture.
The closing date for applications for the position of Chair of the Transition Board is 12 noon on Wednesday 30 November. To download an application pack, visit www.rural-islands-merger.uhi.ac.uk
The Partnership Board, which was set up to lead the case for merger, will now be replaced by a Transition Board, which will eventually become the Board of Management for the merged college. Following the appointment of a Chair, independent, staff and student members will also be recruited to the Transition Board.
The boards of management at UHI North Highland, UHI Outer Hebrides and UHI West Highland will continue to work alongside the Transition Board until vesting, scheduled for August 2023.
