Caithness Professor Appointed As Vice Principal Of UHI

5th September 2017

Vice-principals take up roles at University of the Highlands and Islands.

The University of the Highlands and Islands has appointed three new vice-principals to its senior management team to increase representation from the 13 colleges and research institutions which make up its partnership.

The vice-principals will dedicate two and a half days a week to supporting the aims of the university and will fulfil the duties of their existing roles at colleges and research institutes around the partnership on a part-time basis.

Professor Stuart Gibb, director of the Environmental Research Institute at North Highland College UHI, has been appointed as vice-principal (international and external engagement). He is leading on the development and implementation of the university's international strategy, working to improve brand identity and increase the recruitment of international students.

West Highland College UHI principal, Lydia Rohmer, has taken up the role of vice-principal (tertiary). She is responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the tertiary nature of the university's education provision are optimised and that the tertiary nature is understood, recognised and valued. Her responsibilities include developing strategies to increase and align curriculum across all levels, enhancing learner pathways across further and higher education as well as work-based learning, widening access to educational opportunities and leading on branding and positioning of the university as a tertiary organisation.

Iain Macmillan, principal of Lews Castle College UHI, has been appointed as vice-principal (strategic harmonisation and organisational efficiency). He will work to identify areas where processes can be improved and where services and resources can be shared across the university partnership.

In addition to the part time vice-principals, the university recently welcomed Diane Rawlinson, former principal of Inverness College UHI, to the full time position of vice-principal (further education) in June. The role sees Ms Rawlinson working with principals across the Highlands and Islands to ensure that all aspects of further education provision are delivered in line with Scottish Government policy and the Scottish Funding Council’s outcome agreement.

The university’s principal and vice-chancellor, Professor Clive Mulholland welcomed his new colleagues, saying: "We have strengthened our senior management team with these excellent appointments from across our region and I look forward to seeing the positive contributions each will make to the development of the university."

Professor Stuart Gibb said: "Internationalisation is at the heart of the University of the Highlands and Islands’ strategy and I am therefore delighted to be taking up this new role. I look forward to helping grow the number and diversity of students across the partnership by bringing our distinctive curriculum to the rest of the UK, to Europe and to the rest of the world, and will be seeking to develop and establish new strategic partnerships, collaborations and models which will advance these international aspirations."

Lydia Rohmer said: “The University of the Highlands and Islands is a unique institution in Scotland and the UK, providing seamless access to further and higher education as well as research degrees in a region covering half the landmass of Scotland and including some of the most remote locations in the UK. My role has been designed to ensure that the incredibly rich and diverse opportunities which the university partnership offers to learners, communities and employers in the Highlands and Islands region, Scotland and beyond, are fully understood, developed and valued. I look forward to working in partnership with our academic partners and our regional and national stakeholders to help realise these opportunities for the benefit of our students, as well as the region as a whole.”

Iain Macmillan said: “At the same time as offering opportunities nationally and internationally, the university and its partners deliver the full range of post-school education to local communities in an area which covers half the landmass of Scotland. We need to find new ways of doing this so that we can maintain and expand our high quality delivery while also developing new opportunities. I am looking forward to helping in the process of establishing the university as a truly transformational force within the Highlands and Islands.”

Gaelic -

Iar-phrionnsapalan a’ tòiseachadh nan dreuchdan an Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean



Tha Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean an dèidh trì iar-phrionnsapalan ùra a chur an dreuchd san sgioba àrd-mhanaidsearachd aige gus am bi barrachd riochdachaidh ann bho na 13 de cholaistean is stèidheachdan rannsachaidh a tha a’ dèanamh suas a’ chom-pàirteachais aige.

Bidh na h-iar-phrionnsapalan a’ toirt dà latha gu leth san t-seachdain a’ cur taic ri amasan an oilthigh agus is ann pàirt-ùine a bhitheas iad a’ coilionadh dhleastanasan nan dreuchdan a th’ aca cheana ann an colaistean is institiudan rannsachaidh air feadh a’ chom-pàirteachais.

Tha an t-Àrd-ollamh Stuart Gibb, stiùiriche Institiud Rannsachadh na h-Àrainneachd aig Colaiste na Gàidhealtachd a Tuath UHI, an dèidh bhith air a chur an dreuchd mar iar-phrionnsapal (com-pàirteachadh eadar-nàiseanta agus a-muigh). Tha esan air ceann leasachadh is cur-an-gnìomh ro-innleachd eadar-nàiseanta an oilthigh, agus e ag obair airson suaicheantachadh an oilthigh a chur am feabhas agus meudachadh a thoirt air an àireimh de dh’oileanaich eadarnàiseanta a thruisear.

Tha prionnsapal Cholaiste na Gàidhealtachd an Iar UHI, Lydia Rohmer, an dèidh tòiseachadh mar iar-phrionnsapal (treas ìre). Am measg nan dleastanasan aicese tha a bhith a’ cruthachadh ro-innleachdan airson an curaicealam a mheudachadh is a cho-eagrachadh aig a h-uile h-ìre, a bhith air ceann nan ullachaidhean airson dearbhadh is feabhasachadh càileachd agus a’ cuideachadh a bhith a’ leudachadh nan cothroman a th’ ann air foghlam.

Tha Iain Mac a’ Mhaoilein, prionnsapal Cholaisde a’ Chaisteil UHI, an dèidh bhith air a chur an dreuchd mar iar-phrionnsapal (co-chòrdachadh ro-innleachdail agus èifeachdachd eagrachail). Bidh esan ag oibreachadh a chomharrachadh raointean anns an gabh pròiseasan cur am feabhas agus anns an gabh seirbheisean is goireasan pàirteachadh air feadh chom-pàirteachas an oilthigh.

A bharrachd air na h-iar-phrionnsapalan pàirt-ùine, chuir an t-oilthigh fàilte o chionn ghoirid air Diane Rawlinson, a bha roimhid na prionnsapal air Colaiste Inbhir Nis UHI, do dhreuchd làn-ùine iar-phrionnsapal (foghlam adhartach) san Ògmhios. San dreuchd seo tha a’ Bh-uas Rawlinson ag obair le prionnsapalan air feadh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean a dhèanamh cinnteach gum bi a h-uile h-eileamaid den ullachadh foghlam adhartach ga liubhairt a rèir phoileasaidh Riaghaltas na h-Alba agus aonta thoraidhean Chomhairle Mhaoineachaidh na h-Alba.

Chuir prionnsapal is iar-sheansalair an oilthigh, an t-Àrd-ollamh Clive Mulholland fàilte air a cho-oibrichean ùra, agus thuirt e fhèin, “Neartaich sinn an sgioba àrd-mhanaidsearachd againn leis na sàr dhaoine seo a bhith air an cur an dreuchd às diofar cheàrnaidhean den sgìre againn agus tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughair ri bhith a’ faicinn an deagh chuideachaidh a bheir gach aon dhiubh do leasachadh an oilthigh.”

Thuirt an t-Àrd-ollamh Stuart Gibb, “Tha eadarnàiseantachadh aig cridhe is cuislean ro-innleachd Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean, agus tha mi mar sin anabarrach toilichte a bhith a’ dol an grèim ris an dreuchd ùr seo. Tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughair ri bhith a’ cuideachadh fàs a thoirt air àireamh is iol-ghnèitheachd nan oileanach air feadh a’ chom-pàirteachais le bhith toirt a’ churaicealaim shònraichte a th’ againn chun a’ chòrr den RA, chun na Roinn Eòrpa agus chun a’ chòrr den t-saoghal, agus bidh mi a’ feuchainn ri com-pàirteachasan, co-obrachaidhean is modailean ro-innleachdail ùra a dhealbhadh is a stèidheachadh a nì adhartas a thaobh nan àrd-amasan eadarnàiseanta a tha seo.”

Thuirt Lydia Rohmer: "Tha Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean na ionad air leth ann an Alba agus san Rìoghachd Aonaichte, a 'toirt seirbhis fior mhath do fhoghlam adhartach is àrd-ìre a bharrachd air ceumannan rannsachaidh ann an roinn a tha a' toirt a-steach leth de thalamh na h-Alba agus a 'toirt a-steach cuid de àiteachan iomallach as motha anns an RA. Chaidh mo dhreuchd a dhealbhachadh gus dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil na cothroman iongantach agus eadar-mheasgte a tha com-pàirteachas an oilthigh a 'tabhann do luchd-ionnsachaidh, coimhearsnachdan agus luchd-fastaidh ann an roinn na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean, Alba agus nas fhaide air falbh, air an làn thuigsinn, air an leasachadh agus luachmhòr. Tha mi a 'coimhead air adhart ri bhith ag obair ann an com-pàirteachas le ar com-pàirtichean acadaimigeach agus ar luchd-ùidh roinneil agus nàiseanta gus na cothroman sin a thoirt gu buil airson buannachd nan oileanach againn, cho math ris an roinn gu h-iomlan.”

Thuirt Iain Mac a’ Mhaoilein, “Aig an aon àm ri bhith a’ tairgsinn chothroman aig an ìre nàiseanta is eadarnàiseanta, tha an t-oilthigh is na com-pàirtichean aige a’ liubhairt na farsaingeachd iomlan de dh’fhoghlam iar-sgoil do choimhearsnachdan ionadail ann an sgìre a tha a’ toirt a-steach an dàrna leth de mheall-fearainn na h-Alba. Feumaidh sinn amas air dòighean ùra air seo a dhèanamh gus an tèid againn air an sàr liubhairt againn a chumail suas is a leudachadh aig an aon àm ri bhith a’ cruthachadh chothroman ùra. Tha mise a’ dèanamh fiughair ri bhith a’ cuideachadh gus an stèidhich sinn an t-oilthigh mar ghnìomhaiche a chuireas ri fìor chruth-atharrachadh sa Ghàidhealtachd is na h-Eileanan.”