Tag Archive for Dundee University

Keep Education Free, Say Dundee’s Students as Parliament Debates Tuition Fee

February 19, 2013 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP No comments
L-R: Lewis Ronaldson, Shona, Joe, Siobhan Silburn, Cllr John Alexander

L-R: Lewis Ronaldson, Shona, Joe, Siobhan Silburn, Cllr John Alexander

 

Dundee’s constituency MSPs Joe FitzPatrick and Shona Robison joined Dundee University students at the campus to sign their campaign petition calling for Education to remain free with no tuition fees.

The students are campaigning on the day that tuition fees are to be debated in the Scottish Parliament as a reminder that while in Scotland there are no tuition fees, the trebling of tuition fees in England to more than £9000 per annum has contributed to a 6.3% decrease in acceptances at English institutions (lowest level since 2008) and a 13% decrease in the number of students actually undertaking studies in 2012/13.

Siobhan Silburn, President of Dundee University Scottish Nationalist Association said: “The motion to be debated commits the parliament to no upfront or backdoor tuition fees – exactly the policy that Labour included in their manifesto.

“Many Labour MSPs signed up to NUS Scotland’s ‘reclaim your voice’ campaign during the election which committed them to no tuition fees.

“We are pleased that Dundee’s SNP MSPs have committed to no upfront or backend tuition fees – unlike Labour which now seems to be questioning the value of free higher and further education.”

Lewis Ronaldson, Depute Convenor of DUSNA said:  “The Labour amendment for today’s debate ‘notes that part-time and postgraduate university students have to pay fees’ but what is their policy?

“Are they going to extend support for post-graduate students?  If so, why didn’t they do this when they were in power? How would they fund this and would they do this at the same time as they re-impose tuition fees on undergraduates?

“Labour’s website still talks about ‘no price tag on higher education’ – which was their election promise to protect students from tuition fees, but where do they stand now? Are they planning a new policy to re-introduce tuition fees?

“We’d like to know what their policy is. Tuition fees south of the border are making young people turn away from higher education and the number of acceptances to English Universities has decreased.”

Signing the student’s petition, Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said: “Scottish students are strongly in support of keeping education free.

“The Scottish Government believes that access to education should be based on the ability to learn not the ability to pay.”

Joe FitzPatrick, Dundee West MSP said: “At the election in 2011, the public strongly supported parties promising a no-tuition fees policy and every Labour MSP stood on that platform. It is time for Labour to either back that policy now or vote with the Tories in favour of re-introducing tuition fees – and break their pledge to Scotland’s students.”

Dundee’s SNP MSPs Back Free Tuition

DUNDEE MSPS WELCOME AWARD OF MAJOR LIFE SCIENCES CONTRACT

February 7, 2013 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP No comments

Joe ShonaBoth Dundee’s constituency MSPs Shona Robison and Joe FitzPatrick have welcomed the major announcement this morning that a £10 million international project  to research new drug treatments will be undertaken by Dundee University researchers in collaboration with a Lanarkshire-based Life Sciences company and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance.

 

The announcement was hailed this morning by First Minister Alex Salmond as “putting Lanarkshire and Dundee at the heart of international drug discovery”.

Joe FitzPatrick said: “This fantastic news is further evidence of the strength and international competitiveness of Scotland’s – and Dundee’s – Life Sciences research teams.

 

“This is the biggest-ever contract of its kind and has been attracted because of the world-class quality and talent of Scotland’s Bio-Medical and Life Sciences sector, in which researchers at Dundee University are playing a key part.”

 

Shona Robison said: “This gilds the reputation and quality of Dundee’s Life Sciences teams, and demonstrate the capacity of the industry across Scotland to collaborate and win projects of this scale.

 

“It also mean that the discovery of many innovative medicines to defeat chronic diseases and achieve scientific breakthroughs to benefit the world —  will increasingly be made in Dundee and Scotland.”

MSPs Welcome Dundee University’s Chart-topping Succes

April 26, 2012 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP No comments

Dundee’s constituency MSPs have today [26th] welcomed the news that  Dundee University beat Loughborough, Sheffield, Oxford and Cambridge to the top spot in the Times Higher Education (THE) survey on the quality of the student experience after having come fifth in the UK overall last year.

 

Joe FitzPatrick, who has tabled a motion at the Scottish Parliament, said: “I welcome the success of Dundee University in the survey, which is really a huge vote of confidence in the institution, the campus and the city too as all these aspects come into the survey.

 

“Not only do both our universities have world-wide reputations for excellence, students are voting with their feet in coming here.

 

“They recognise that the Dundee campus offers them the best facilities and the best quality of student life in the UK.”

 

Dundee City East MSP Shona Robison said: “Both of our universities in Dundee continue to attract students from all over the world which reflects on the standing and the reputation they enjoy in the academic world.

 

“Both institutions have invested in improving the student facilities and the quality of life which Dundee offers is simply the best in the UK.

 

As a city we have a high proportion of students, with campus facilities at three leading institutions and therefore student life in Dundee is an exciting, stimulating and vibrant part of the educational experience.

 

“Our congratulations go to the Principal and staff of the university on winning top spot in this survey.”

 

Joe FitzPatrick has tabled a motion at the Scottish Parliament (text below).

MOTION

Date of Lodging: 26th April 2012

Short Title: Top Award for University of Dundee

S4M-02711 Joe FitzPatrick (Scottish National Party):

That the parliament congratulates the University of Dundee on being rated as the best in the UK for student experience as surveyed by The Times Higher Education; is pleased that the University of Dundee has been recognised for its commitment to students both academically and in all other areas of student life; further believes that these results are a testament to the redevelopment of much of the University’s main campus over the past 5 years, a result of the Scottish Governments sustained level of funding for Scotland’s institutes of Higher Education; is optimistic that the result in this survey will benefit the University in attracting new students to the city; continues to support the institute in future endeavours to consolidate its reputation not just across the UK, but across the world as an excellent place in which to study; further considers that as Dundee seeks to promote itself as a modern forward looking city, this news is a welcome boost to the whole city.

 

City’s Universities’ Applications Success Welcomed by MSPs

February 1, 2012 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP No comments

Dundee’s constituency MSPs have welcomed UCAS figures showing both city universities have attracted increased numbers of applications from students to study in Dundee this year.

UCAS figures show application numbers for Dundee University up 2.7% and Abertay University up 4.9%.

 

Figures also show that while the number of Scots seeking places at Scottish Universities is only slightly down, at a drop of 1.1%, the comparable number for English students applying to English Universities has dropped by 16.4%.

 

Joe FitzPatrick said: “I welcome the rising number of applications to both the city’s universities.

 

“It is a big vote of confidence in both institutions and a mark of their world-wide reputations for excellence.

 

“The figures are also a clear vindication of the Scottish Government’s policy of scrapping tuition fees for Scottish students.”

 

Dundee City East MSP Shona Robison said: “Both of our universities in Dundee continue to attract students from all over the world which reflects on the standing and the reputation they enjoy in the academic world.

 

“Across Scotland, our universities have seen a rise of 4% with applications now at their highest-ever figure. This shows that the Scottish Government is pursuing the correct policy unlike the UK Government whose hike of tuition fees has resulted in a considerable drop of students applying to Universities in England.”

Politicians Welcome Discussions Between Abertay and Dundee Universities on ‘Greater Collaboration’

November 18, 2011 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP, Stewart Hosie MP No comments

Dundee’s SNP politicians welcomed today’s joint statement by Dundee and Abertay Universities, Dundee College and the Scottish Funding Council for Further and Higher Education that the three institutions will engage in detailed discussions on options for closer collaboration.

Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie said: “Clearly there are major challenges facing the higher and further education sectors in the light of the cuts from Westminster to the Scottish budget.

“It is therefore vitally important that all three institutions engage over the future delivery of higher education in Dundee and beyond and discuss how they can best collaborate to maximise educational opportunities for young people.

“I am pleased that the discussions will focus on the shared objective of creating improved educational life chances for people in Dundee and across our region.”�

Joe FitzPatrick, Dundee City West MSP said: “I welcome the announcement that the detailed discussions have been open and positive between the three institutions and the Scottish Funding Council.

“I am pleased that the three institutions are engaging on a closer collaboration so that they may develop the contribution each makes towards achieving the Scottish Government’s aims and objectives for post-16 education.

“There are particular opportunities in a number of subjects where closer collaboration could allow the creation of greater opportunities for students.”

Dundee City East MSP Shona Robison said: “In the ongoing discussions we would want to see priority given to protecting student numbers, course choices, the quality of education and maintaining the city’s reputation for research and excellence.

“By looking for opportunities to share services in a more efficient manner, this will enable all three institutions to protect the front line and maintain student numbers and teaching excellence.

“I welcome the agreement developed between the three institutions and the Funding Council to align academic curricula across and between the higher and further education sectors and believe that this will create more student opportunities for progression and boost jobs and growth in our region.”

No Threat To Dundee’s Higher Education Institutions

September 29, 2011 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP No comments

Commenting after their meeting with the Education Cabinet Secretary, Michael Russell, and the First Minster’s comments on Abertay University at First Minsters Question Time today [Thursday 29 Sept], Shona Robison and Joe FitzPatrick said:

‘‘We have been working hard behind the scenes to address the concerns raised over this issue and are pleased that at our latest meeting this morning with the Cabinet Secretary Michael Russell, we received reassurance that Abertay and Dundee Universities would not be forced to merge. Previous discussions with the Cabinet Secretary had led to alternative proposals to a merger being suggested as a way forward and we are glad that these options can now be considered.

‘‘Now that this issue has been clarified it is important that both Universities look at ways that they can work together to deliver efficiency savings through shared services in order to protect student numbers and opportunity in these financially challenging times.

“The confirmation by the First Minister, who reiterated that there will be no closure or forced merger of any Scottish University, makes clear the Scottish Government’s commitment to higher education.’

“The University sector now needs to respond positively to reforming and improving the delivery of higher education across Scotland.”

MP Defends New Dundee University Comics’ Studies Course

June 9, 2011 Stewart Hosie MP One comment

Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie has defended Dundee University’s introduction of an MLitt postgraduate course in Comic studies, after a Labour MP – Tom Harris – launched an attack on it as ‘dumbing down’.

Stewart Hosie said: “Tom Harris is entitled to his opinion but I believe that he is talking down Dundee University and this excellent and timely new post-graduate course.

“He also appears to have basic facts wrong – this is a postgraduate course for people who already have a degree. It is not offering “an MA in The Beano”.

“We live in a fast-moving world where cultural influences extend into major industries. And in Dundee, we know all about the jobs value of comic books as the city is home to DC Thomson & Co, one of the most successful companies in the field.

“Comics tie-in with films and TV, with the computer gaming industry, with art and design, music and popular culture on many levels. This is an enormous global industry employing hundreds of thousands of people and with an estimate value of more than £5bn.

“The success of Mark Millar from Glasgow who is now one of the most-celebrated comics writers in the world, and whose work inspired hit movies Wanted and Kick-Ass, as well as the purchase of Marvel Comics by Disney for $4bn in 2009 show the global economic value of the industry.

“Dundee is already heavily-involved in the computer games industry which employs nearly 3,000 here and anything which can help to develop that into new areas of employment is very much to be welcomed.

The course director at Dundee University, Dr Chris Murray said: “Worldwide, comics and graphic novels have never been so popular and are widely read by both children and adults.

“Far from being the preserve of children, comics represent a multi-million pound global industry and it is our intention that our graduates are at the forefront of this.

“Students will be required to think critically about complex ideas, examine comics from around the world and develop and understanding of them in the context of theory, politics and history, as they would in any other field of literary study.”

MSPs Hear of Continuing Success of Dundee Medical School

September 21, 2010 Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Shona Robison MSP No comments

Shona and Joe with (L) Gerry Marr and Professor Connell

Dundee’s MSPs Shona Robison and Joe FitzPatrick visited Dundee University Medical School to hear about the continuing success of Dundee University’s Medical School and the large part it is playing in Dundee University’s steady rise up the academic institutions rankings – up to 140th in the world.  The MSPs heard from Professor John Connell, Dean of the Medical School of future plans and were briefed by Gerry Marr, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Tayside. They are pictured in the Medical School library at Ninewells.

MSP Welcomes Reprieve for University Facility

June 8, 2010 Joe FitzPatrick MSP No comments

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick today welcomed a rethink by Dundee University on its plans to close the Book & Paper Conservation Studio in the University’s Main Library.

Joe said: “I am pleased to hear that the University management has had a change of heart and that the Conservation Studio is not now threatened with closure.

“The Studio has seven fulltime Conservators and one intern – and I am pleased for them and the overwhelming support they received from friends, clients and colleagues of the Studio during their strong campaign to keep themselves in business.

“They provide a valued and essential service to keep the artefacts of our history safe and in good repair so that they can be available for use in education and research. ”

The facility offers a variety of services including remedial repairs on a variety of documents and materials including rare books and maps.

The University is presently engaged on a restructuring exercise.

 

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