This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Glasgow Metropolitan College
07/02/2005
The first new college in Scotland for more than 10 years
was launched today.
Glasgow Metropolitan College (GMC) has been created by
the merger of the Glasgow College of Building and Printing
and the Glasgow College of Food Technology.
The merger aims to improve the educational and training
opportunities available to current and future students. It
is also expected that there will be longer-term financial
savings.
Meeting staff and students at their Cathedral Street
base, Lifelong Learning Minister Jim Wallace said:
"The launch of Glasgow Metropolitan College marks the
start of a new chapter of reform and modernisation in
further education.
"I want college students to have access to the very best
educational provision, with buildings and resources which
meet their needs. The record funding we are providing for
FE through the Budget will go a long way towards meeting
this aim. But rationalisation and collaboration in the
sector is also crucial.
"This may involve further mergers - and some proposals
are with us at present - but more often it will mean joint
activity between institutions which ensures that resources
can be channelled to the front line.
"GMC is an ambitious and ground-breaking partnership.
The Boards, staff and students at both colleges deserve
enormous credit for meeting new challenges head-on."
The merger proposal was approved by Ministers in June
2004. The decision was taken following an extensive
consultation exercise and on the basis of detailed advice
from the Scottish Further Education Funding Council.
GMC is the first new institution since colleges were
removed from local authority control in 1993.
Students and staff will transfer to GMC during 2005,
with full merger and academic integration expected to be
complete by August.
The Glasgow College of Building and Printing was
established in 1972 and provides for the construction,
design and communications industries. The Glasgow College
of Food Technology was established in 1973 as a specialist
college focusing on food, hospitality and tourism.
The creation of GMC brings the number of incorporated
colleges in Scotland to 43.