Last week, executives at Scotland's Rural College SRUC announced that plans are underway to move three of the College's six campuses.

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Acting Chief Executive Janet Swadling said the plans mark "One of the most exciting periods in the 100 year history of SRUC." Speaking as meetings outlining the plans are conducted with staff and other stakeholders, she continued, "We remain wholeheartedly committed to meeting the needs of students, farmers and rural businesses and communities across Scotland and this means investing in and strengthening our activities in every region."

In the North East, SRUC will attempt to concentrate the majority of its research and education faculties in one location. At present, SRUC's north east hub is the Craibstone Estate, but housing and infrastructure developments planned for the estate and surrounding area have led College executives to consider moving to a new location.

One option being considered for the move is the establishment of a brand new campus, to be built beside Thainstone Agricultural Centre. SRUC executives said this could offer the advantages or a more rural, agricultural setting, but with the busy town of Inverurie nearby. They claimed it may also allow for better collaboration with industry partners and the opportunity to consolidate SRUC's local crop research work in a single location.

The ANM Group, which owns Thainstone has been approached and expressed support for the proposed relocation, with Group Chair John McIntosh saying, "We believe it would provide an opportunity to create a fantastic agri-hub focused on collaboration."  

Though SAC Consulting would have a base at the new location, these services would also be represented in communities in the surrounding area, in recognition of the need for consultants to have strong local presence, SRUC execs noted.

In the South

On Thursday, SRUC management announced similar ambitions for consolidating activities in the South of the country. The College aims to concentrate the majority of its activities in a single location, "preferably in partnership with another local education provider as well as with local authority and commercial partners."

The proposed relocation would see the Barony Campus moved to another brand new facility, alongside the existing SRUC research and consultancy base at the Crichton Campus, ten miles away from Barony College in Dumfries.

Crichton's Leadership Group has said it "Is very keen to help in any way it can" with the move. Chair Dame Barbara Kelly said, "We have a unique opportunity to collaborate with SRUC as it seeks to deliver its aims. The establishment of an SRUC ‘hub’ at Crichton would present excellent opportunities for co-operation and collaboration, present increased opportunities for students to progress in their learning through Further and Higher Education and raise the national and international profile of the research that takes place on the Campus."

Barony College only merged with SRUC (then SAC) in 2011, having initially hesitated before acquiescing to the merger which joined the rest of Scotland's land-based colleges.

SRUC said its proposed move would "build on the Barony heritage and the valuable contribution staff have made in the region," whilst the new centre would give the staff currently based at Barony improved facilities to continue work.

If Scoping studies bear out the plans for the two colleges, the moves in Inverness and Dumfries & Galloway could go ahead in the next three to four years.

Edinburgh and Inverness

Meanwhile, a final decision on moving the campus at King's Buildings in Edinburgh is expected by the end of the year. The Bush Estate in nearby Midlothian is already home to 75 SRUC Animal and Veterinary Science researchers in the Roslin Institute Building. SRUC executives want to establish a new campus building at Easter Bush, which they said is "Already a centre for world class research and education thanks to the University of Edinburgh."

If this move god ahead, changes will take effect within the next four years.

Though SRUC disclosed its planned relocations last week, no information has been made available on the financial toll of each of the moves. SRUC expects government and higher education funding streams will help cover some of the costs.

Further north, in Inverness, SRUC plans to relocate the veterinary Epidemiology Unit from Drummond Hill to the University of the Highlands and Islands' new Beechwood Campus in the city by November next year.

Chief Executive Janet Swadling pledged that members of staff and SRUC stakeholders will continue to be closely consulted as all the plans take shape. She added, "There is still much to discuss as we look at the proposed options but it is our priority to let staff and stakeholders know about our proposals at the earliest possible stage, in order that they can be involved in the planning process.

"We appreciate that there are still many questions to be answered and we look forward to liaising closely with those within and outwith SRUC as we scope out the plans."

Swadling said SRUC is "strongly committed to continuing its activities" at Riverside in Ayr, Oatridge in West Lothian and Elmwood in Cupar, alongside other veterinary and consultancy facilities in Scotland.

SRUC governs research, education, consultancy and veterinary services throughout Scotland. The College employs around 1400 staff, teaches approximately 3000 students at its six campuses and provides technical, business and veterinary support to over 11,000 people in the land-based industries.