UHI Millennium Institute
Encyclopedia
The University of the Highlands and Islands is a federation
of 13 college
s and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
delivering higher education
. Its executive office is in Inverness
.
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
under recommendation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
(QAA); Higher National Certificate
and Higher National Diploma
courses are awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority
. University status was awarded by the Privy Council in February 2011, and UHI became the University of the Highlands and Islands.
In the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, courses such as Honours programmes in Gaelic, BA (Hons) Theological Studies , BA (Hons) Scottish History and BA (Hons) Scottish Cultural Studies 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 others.
The Faculty of Business and Leisure offers distinctive programmes in Golf Management —Scotland's only degree of this kind—Outdoor Adventure Management—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 research 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 is an example of a multi-disciplinary programme from this Faculty. The programme has professional accreditation from the Institution of Economic Development. The Faculty of Science also offers postgraduate studies, including an MSc in Managing Sustainable Development. This Masters programme also has professional accreditation from the Institution of Economic Development.
Through its Faculty of Health and Education, UHI has 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. A BSc Oral Health Science was set up in 2008, and was based on two campuses, the Centre for Health Sciences and Dumfries Dental Centre. In 2011 a third campus was added in Stornoway.
Federated school
An affiliated school is an educational institution that operates independently, but also has a formal collaborative agreement with another, usually larger institution that may have some level of control or influence over its academic policies, standards or programs.While a university may have one...
of 13 college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
delivering higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
. Its executive office is in Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
.
History
In April 2001, the Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
awarded UHI Higher Education Institute
Institute
An institute is a permanent organizational body created for a certain purpose. Often it is a research organization created to do research on specific topics...
status, and it now provides university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
level courses. UHI degrees were authenticated by the Open University Validation Service
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
, the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
and the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
until 2008 when the UHI was awarded taught degree awarding powers (tDAP) by the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
under recommendation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
Established in 1997, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education works to ensure that higher education qualifications in the United Kingdom are of a sound standard. It protects the public interest by checking how universities and colleges maintain their academic standards and quality...
(QAA); Higher National Certificate
Higher National Certificate
A Higher National Certificate is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom.In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the HNC is a BTEC qualification awarded by Edexcel, and in Scotland, an HNC is a Higher National awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority...
and Higher National Diploma
Higher National Diploma
A Higher National Diploma is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. This qualification can be used to gain entry into universities, and is considered equivalent to the first or second year of a university degree course....
courses are awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority
Scottish Qualifications Authority
The Scottish Qualifications Authority is a non-departmental public body responsible for accreditation and awarding. It is partly funded by the Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate of the Scottish Government, employing 750 staff, based in Glasgow and Dalkeith...
. University status was awarded by the Privy Council in February 2011, and UHI became the University of the Highlands and Islands.
Organisation and programmes
UHI has a number of undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes, most of which 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, BA (Hons) Theological Studies , BA (Hons) Scottish History and BA (Hons) Scottish Cultural Studies 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 others.
The Faculty of Science & Technology has research 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 is an example of a multi-disciplinary programme from this Faculty. The programme has professional accreditation from the Institution of Economic Development. The Faculty of Science also offers postgraduate studies, including an MSc in Managing Sustainable Development. This Masters programme also has professional accreditation from the Institution of Economic Development.
Through its Faculty of Health and Education, UHI has links with the new Centre for Health Sciences located behind Raigmore Hospital
Raigmore Hospital
Raigmore Hospital in Inverness is the main hospital in the area of NHS Highland Health Board. It serves patients from its own and adjacent Community Health Partnership areas as well as those from adjacent Health Board areas. It is also a teaching hospital in association with the Universities of...
. This is being funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Highlands and Islands Enterprise is the Scottish Government's economic and community development agency for a diverse region which covers more than half of Scotland and is home to around 450,000 people....
, the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
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
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
is moving its operations from Raigmore Hospital to the CHS. A BSc Oral Health Science was set up in 2008, and was based on two campuses, the Centre for Health Sciences and Dumfries Dental Centre. In 2011 a third campus was added in Stornoway.
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
- 2010 - Decision made to relocate to a new campus at Beechwood farm
- 2011 - Awarded university status as the University of the Highlands and Islands
Colleges
- NAFC Marine Centre, ScallowayScallowayScalloway is the largest settlement on the North Atlantic coast of Mainland, Shetland with a population of approximately 812, at the 2001 census...
, Shetland - Shetland CollegeShetland CollegeShetland College is a further and higher education college in Lerwick, Shetland. It is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.The main campus is located at Gremista, on the outskirts of Lerwick. There are also dedicated premises in Lerwick for teaching Hospitality, at Anderson High...
, LerwickLerwickLerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
, Shetland - Orkney CollegeOrkney CollegeOrkney College is a further and higher education college in Orkney, an archipelago in northern Scotland. It is an academic partner in the University of the Highlands and Islands....
, KirkwallKirkwallKirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
, Orkney - North Highland College, has its main campus in ThursoThurso-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
, in the former county of CaithnessCaithnessCaithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
, in the north of the HighlandHighland (council area)Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
council area
The college was founded as Thurso Technical College in 1959, and was Thurso College before acquiring its current name - Lews Castle CollegeLews Castle CollegeLews Castle College is a further and higher education college in the Western Isles of Scotland. The main campus is in the grounds of Lews Castle, Stornoway. The College also has two learning centres in Benbecula and Barra. The College is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.The...
, Stornoway, LewisLewisLewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is .... - Inverness CollegeInverness CollegeInverness College is a college based in Inverness, in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is the hub campus of the University of the Highlands and Islands and its executive offices are located on the banks of the River Ness in the centre of town. The main campus is in the Longman, there is...
, InvernessInvernessInverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland... - Sabhal Mòr OstaigSabhal Mòr OstaigSabhal Mòr Ostaig is a Scottish Gaelic medium college located about north of Armadale on the Sleat peninsula of the island of Skye in northwestern Scotland. It is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands and also has a campus on Islay known as Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle.The college was...
, SleatSleatSleat is a peninsula on the island of Skye in the Highland council area of Scotland, known as "the garden of Skye". It is the home of the clan MacDonald of Sleat...
, Skye - Moray CollegeMoray CollegeMoray College is a further education college based in Elgin, in Moray, northeastern Scotland. It has 1,500 full time students and 8,100 part time students...
, ElginElgin, MorayElgin is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain. Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190... - Highland Theological CollegeHighland Theological CollegeThe Highland Theological College is located in Dingwall, Scotland. It is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands. The Principal is Hector Morrison, a Church of Scotland minister....
, DingwallDingwallDingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts... - Perth College, PerthPerth, ScotlandPerth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
- Argyll College, DunoonDunoonDunoon is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.-Waterfront:...
, ArgyllArgyllArgyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath... - Scottish Association for Marine Science, ObanObanOban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
, ArgyllArgyllArgyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath... - West Highland College, Fort WilliamFort William, ScotlandFort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
, formed in 2010 from a merger of Skye & Wester Ross College with Lochaber College