UHI Perth exploring options to safeguard its future

Bosses at a University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) college say they are exploring a "range of strategic options" to safeguard its long-term stability and success.

UHI Perth has been dealing with a deficit of £2m, according to The Courier.

The college told BBC Scotland News it was operating within an increasingly challenging financial environment due to rising costs.

Alistair Wylie, interim chairman of UHI Perth's management board, said provision of higher and further education remained central to the institution's mission.

UHI is a network of colleges, specialist teaching centres and research institutes in the Highlands, Northern and Western Isles, Moray and Perthshire. It was awarded university status in 2011.

UHI Perth has about 7,000 students and about 500 teaching and support staff.

Its courses include maths at National 5 level, HNCs, HNDs and also degrees in a range of subjects.

Mr Wylie said: "UHI Perth, like many institutions across the education sector, continues to operate within an increasingly challenging financial environment, where rising costs are not matched by corresponding increases in funding.

"In response, the UHI Perth board of management recognises its duty to its students, staff and the wider community to explore a range of strategic options that safeguard the long-term stability and success of the institution."

He said the board was reviewing the overall financial sustainability of UHI Perth, including commissioning a detailed financial recovery plan.

Mr Wylie said that during a board meeting on 3 March there was a discussion around the future of higher education provision.

He added: "For the avoidance of doubt, the board of UHI Perth has reaffirmed its commitment to both further and higher education, both of which remain central to our mission, while continuing to work in close partnership with the wider UHI partnership."

UHI said it was aware of the financial challenges facing the Perth site and the wider education sector.

A spokesperson added: "We want to reassure students, staff and communities that our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality higher education remains unwavering.

"Although discussions on financial sustainability are ongoing, higher education continues to play a vital role at UHI Perth and across the partnership.

"Our priority is, and will continue to be, ensuring that students can access both further and higher education-level study locally, supporting their ambitions and the needs of our communities."

Last month, the University of Aberdeen announced it needed to make cuts in a bid to save millions of pounds.

The university said it had made progress on improving its financial position but needed to make more savings.

This will include stopping almost all staff recruitment and revisiting voluntary redundancies.

The university said it was "regrettable but necessary".

University of Dundee has also warned of planned job cuts, while lecturers at Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen have taken strike action over redundancies.

Meanwhile, about 350 staff at the University of Edinburgh have accepted voluntary redundancy as part of a cost-saving effort.

In a letter to staff, principal Sir Peter Mathieson also confirmed academic promotions would be frozen for the 2025-26 period.

The university has claimed it needs to reduce costs by about £140m, but unions have called it a "manufactured crisis".

A ballot asking whether staff would consider going on strike is running until 20 May.