PROPOSAL TO MERGE GLASGOW COLLEGE OF BUILDING AND PRINTING AND GLASGOW COLLEGE OF FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Consultation Paper

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1. The Scottish Ministers wish to have your views on a proposal by the boards of management of Glasgow College of Building and Printing (GCBP) and Glasgow College of Food Technology (GCFT) to merge into a single, new college.

2. The powers to establish new colleges, merge colleges and close colleges lie solely with the Scottish Ministers. Where there is a proposal to exercise these powers, Ministers are required to consult the education authority for the area concerned, and any other parties whom they consider will be affected by the proposal. This consultation paper is being issued in line with that requirement. Ministers will welcome views from anyone with an interest in further and higher education on the merger proposal. GCBP and GCFT have proposed that the new, merged college will be called ‘Glasgow Metropolitan College’.

3. Attached is a summary of the merger proposal which has been submitted jointly to Ministers by the boards of both Colleges, and which follows detailed discussions between the Colleges. (A copy of the full merger proposal document (109 pages) can be obtained from either College, or at the following web link: http://www.mergernews.glasgowcolleges.ac.uk/Merger%20Proposal%20GCBP-GCFT.pdf )

Issues for consideration

4. Please feel free to comment on this proposal in any way. Ministers would find particularly helpful your views on the following questions:

i. How do you view the impact of the merger on FE provision and delivery in Glasgow and beyond?
ii. To what extent do you agree with the rationale for merger as set out in the attached summary prepared by the Colleges?
iii. What impact, if any, will the merger have on your own organisation, and your customers, staff and potential employees?
iv. What is your view of the proposed name of the new college (‘Glasgow Metropolitan College’)?

Responses

5. Consultees’ views on this consultation paper are invited by 8 June 2004.  Responses should be sent to:

Margaret McLachlan
Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department
Further and Adult Education Division
Europa Building
450 Argyle Street
GLASGOW
G2 8LG

e-mail: mergerproposal@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Tel:      0141 242 0102
Fax:     0141 242 0251

6. All consultation responses will be publicly available in the Scottish Executive Library. This follows Scottish Executive practice and helps inform debate on these matters. It is also in line with the Code of Practice on open government.  If you wish all or part of your reply to be kept confidential, please indicate this in the response. [But please note that any confidentiality disclaimer generated by your computer system in an e-mail will not be treated as such a request.] Confidential responses will be taken into account in any statistical summary of numbers or comments received or views expressed. 

7. Further copies of this consultation paper can be obtained from the above address or from the Scottish Executive website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/recent.aspx

The Scottish Executive

April 2004

A SUMMARY OF THE MERGER PROPOSAL MADE TO MINISTERS BY GCBP AND GCFT

KEY FEATURES

1. The proposal is for a merger of Glasgow College of Building and Printing and Glasgow College of Food Technology. The reasons for merger are both educational and financial. The merger will create an academic synergy that will let new activities be undertaken and some existing activities be consolidated and enhanced. At the same time, it will ensure the future financial viability of these and existing educational activities.

2. The mission and vision of the new College have been developed to be an integral part of a coherent structure for providing Further Education in Glasgow and the West of Scotland.

• The vision is for a College with a distinctive profile, with exciting opportunities to adopt new approaches and pursue new ventures;
• The mission will be to regenerate skills and provide leadership for specific key industries in the Glasgow metropolitan region, contributing fully to the Scottish Executive’s Lifelong Learning Strategy.

3. The two colleges have minimal curricular overlap and are located on virtually physically adjacent campuses. A study of Further Education in Glasgow by consultants KPMG in April 2001 generated five options for the ten Glasgow Colleges. All of these included the merger of the three Cathedral Street colleges. In March 2002, a study by consultants Bentley Jennison concluded that a merger was feasible and that there was a range of potential benefits. The Boards of GCBP and GCFT initially supported a three college merger.

4. Due diligence studies on each college were carried out in the second half of 2002 and did not identify any impediments to merger. The business plan for the new institution indicates that it will be financially viable and stable. This business plan assumes that growth in grant aided academic activity in the period to 2004-2006 will be limited and that the one-off costs of merger will be largely funded by the Scottish Further Educational Funding Council.

5. The new institution intends to continue major activities of the existing colleges and develop new educational courses and programmes. The academic plan covers:

• using the combined expertise from both specialist institutions in Tourism, Construction, Design, Technology, Communication, Food, Hospitality, Information and Communications Technology;
• developing specific social programmes, to contribute to closing the personal opportunity gap and achieving social justice and inclusion;
• collaborating with universities in the provision of teaching facilities and the comprehensive use of articulation arrangements for widening participation, in keeping with the proposed Funding Council’s Joint Corporate Plan 2003-06;
• providing services and advice to those industries in which the specialisms reside and to which they relate;
• working in partnership with other Further Education colleges, to maximise the opportunities available to existing and potential students. Although the FE participation rate is higher in Glasgow than elsewhere, this is in response to the educational deficit which exists in the city. The HE participation rate, however, is below the national norms and the new College can address a major area of need in this regard with its significant centres in advanced level provision. Through this role, the new College will become a stepping-stone to higher participation in HE at college and university to provide even greater opportunities than at present.

6. By bringing together the range of services provided in each college, the academic and social experience of all students in the merged institution will be enhanced. The new institution plans to provide a comprehensive range of student support services, all delivered in a student-friendly manner. The range of social contacts experienced by students will be wider and it is planned to make available new student facilities matching future study patterns.

7. The Governance of the new institution will reflect the best practice in the Further Education Sector, supported by a representative Academic Board, Boards of Studies, Student Organisations and Advisory Boards for the industries linked to the college specialisms.

8. A specific transition period for fully implementing the merger has not been specified, recognising that change in some areas can be effected more quickly than in others. The overall aim, however, is to progress to full implementation as swiftly as possible, so that any period of uncertainty is minimised. A vice-principal will be appointed with the specific responsibility for over-seeing the successful implementation of the merger.

9. In developing every aspect of the proposal, full consideration has been given to the interests and concerns of staff. Successful implementation of the merger requires the enthusiasm and commitment of staff and the proposal is structured to achieve this. There are requirements for reorganisation, harmonisation of terms and conditions, relocation and retraining. The intention is to support staff in carrying these changes through and actively develop a culture for the new institution that will ensure its long-term success.

10. The intent is that the new institution will continue to operate in a city centre location. This decision is based on the regional catchment area of the existing and future student population. Early expenditure on the estate will be required to give effect to the unified institution. For the longer term, consideration will be given to all realistic options of best providing the facilities and environment of the new College. The Business Plan recognises that major capital investment in estates will be necessary to provide the facilities to support the exciting vision and mission envisaged for the new College.

11. Developing a merger proposal for two successful colleges with a wide range of stakeholders is a complex issue and the proposal takes full account of this. It addresses a number of difficult and sensitive issues that will require continued attention throughout the implementation phase. There is a belief, however, that the merger represents an exciting opportunity to create a high quality college that addresses fundamental lifelong learning and economic issues in metropolitan Glasgow.

OTHER FEATURES

VALUES

The new college has a declared set of values, including statements that it will:-

• Serve the needs of individuals, by treating the student as a customer
• Be demand led; responding to specific requests, while recognising the prevailing funding parameters for total provision.
• Be optimistic about the future needs of the city, its trades, business, professions and industries.

EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT

The new college will specialise in areas allied to the function of the former colleges, while taking account of the capacity in the institution for innovation, change, and widened service to the professions, business industries and commercial practices which the college will serve. It will offer opportunities for initial education in the professions, businesses and trades, and continuing development of experienced staff in these areas. The new institution will seek to create a climate of enthusiasm and excitement in pursuing these goals.

BENEFITS OF ESTABLISHING THE NEW COLLEGE

The new college will deliver a wide range of benefits, including improved educational provision, enhanced and expanded student support services, the opportunity to invest in the estate and facilities, achievement and maintenance of financial stability and security and enhancements in quality assurance and improvement, management and governance.

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

It is likely that the new college will consist of five schools: -

• Built Environment
• Business, Sports and Tourism
• Communication and Media
• Design
• Food and Hospitality

These schools will be divided into fourteen divisions, with curricular coherence.

In addition, a number of national centres of excellence are planned for investment and development. These have been defined in response to clear evidence of demand, the new college’s national or regional leadership role in these subjects and the cluster priorities of economic development agencies, as well as the formation of Key Sector Skills Councils.

STUDENT INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE

Greater involvement of students in the life of new college and a single point of entry to enhanced services will help to deliver a significantly improved student experience.

STAFFING MATTERS

Employees of the new college will benefit from new opportunities, different challenges, innovative activity and inclusive culture that celebrates diversity. A key commitment made to existing employees is that there will be no compulsory redundancies as a direct result of merger.

BUSINESS PLAN

The business plan and associated financial aspects demonstrates value for money, with significant long term savings and other benefits out-weighing the short term merger costs.

NAME OF THE NEW COLLEGE

Previous consultation exercises provided a rationale and consensus for the new college to be named ‘Glasgow Metropolitan College’. GCBP and GCFT have concluded that this remains a wholly appropriate name for the new college created by a 2-way merger.

ANNEX

LIST OF CONSULTEES

All further education colleges in Scotland
All education authorities in Scotland
All universities/higher education institutions in Scotland
All chambers of commerce in Scotland
All local enterprise companies in Scotland
Association of Scottish Colleges
Association of Scottish Chambers of Commerce
Careers Scotland
CBI Scotland
Centre for Careers Guidance, Personal and Social Development
City and Guilds
Commission for Racial Equality
Community Learning and Development
Colleges Open Learning Exchange Group
Communities Scotland
COSLA
Disability Rights Commission
EIS
Equal Opportunities Commission
Equality Network
Fast-Trac
Federation of Small Businesses
Further Education National Training Organisation
Futureskills Scotland
General Teaching Council for Scotland
Glasgow Alliance
Glasgow Colleges Group
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Institute of Directors
Institute of Chartered Accountants for Scotland
Lead Scotland
learndirect scotland
Learning and Teaching Scotland
Linking Education and Disability Scotland
National Centre: Education for Work and Enterprise
NUS Scotland
Quality Scotland
Scottish Civic Forum
Scottish Council for Development and Industry
Scottish Council for National Training Organisations
Scottish Council for Research Education
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Further Education Funding Council
Scottish Further Education Unit
Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
Scottish Inter Faith Council
Scottish Parliament Enterprise and Culture Committee
Scottish Qualifications Authority
Scottish Refugee Council
Scottish Trades Union Congress
Scottish Youth Parliament
Sector Skills Alliance Scotland
SKILL: National Bureau for Disabled Students
Standards Commission for Scotland
T&G
UNISON
Universities Scotland
Volunteer Development Scotland
Young Enterprise Scotland