University chief calls for less competition and more collaboration

AN ACADEMIC who led a review into how universities can cut costs has called for institutions to share facilities to save money.

Speaking at a conference on higher education hosted by The Scotsman, Professor Ian Diamond, principal of Aberdeen University, said institutions such as his own needed to save money by sharing everything from buildings to IT and energy costs.

Prof Diamond, who recently led a Universities UK task force which looked into “efficiency and effectiveness” in higher education, said: “We need a bit less competition and a bit more collaboration across the entire sector. My view is that would be better for everybody.

“There’s a lot of good practice in sharing services already, but one should only do this if one has a clear business plan and if there are opportunities which are clear, but which do not require massive cultural change.” He said universities should explore sharing their estates, and said Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University had begun looking at how to share energy from offshore wind.

But he said Scottish universities looking to make cash savings just for the sake of it should do so at their “peril”.

He added: “Simply reducing the quality of Scottish higher education by making savings is, in my view, not the right option and would be foolish.”

Last week, education secretary Michael Russell outlined a review of higher and further education, calling for mergers between colleges and closer working between universities.

Also speaking at yesterday’s conference, John Spencer, convener of umbrella body Scotland’s Colleges, said: “There is opportunity for merger, that’s very clear. But it needs to be thought through very carefully. What I would not want to see is a situation where institutions are being forced into a relationship.”

CHRIS MARSHALL