Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ response to Professor Ian Boyd's report
In February, Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ commissioned Professor Sir Ian Boyd to carry out an independent study into future economic growth opportunities for Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ in North-East Fife.ÌýOur response is below.
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Purpose and Overall Response
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ is grateful to Professor Sir Ian Boyd for the time, effort and insight he has brought to this report, at no cost to Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½. Our request was to produce a report which outlined opportunities for regional economic growth and economic renewal in North East Fife, based on collaborative partnerships involving Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½, local universities and colleges, research institutes, the local community and businesses.
The report contains a number of statements, conclusions and recommendations. This response addresses the immediate recommendations and sets out areas where Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ is already making progress. In the report, Professor Boyd also offers a number of views outside the immediate scope of the report as prompts for future deliberations – some of these will be for others to respond to, and some will depend on a partnership approach. However, for its part, Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ will certainly draw on the points he has made in future strategic discussions with our Board.
The tone of this response is deliberately constructive and practical. It also recognises that Elmwood, its staff, students and the communities it serves have a great deal to contribute to Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½â€™s future direction. The task now is to move from uncertainty to clarity, from isolated debate to partnership, and from aspiration to a practical programme of action.
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Summary Position
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ agrees that partnership is the best way to secure meaningful and sustainable outcomes for the communities we serve across Scotland and beyond. We also agree that Scotland is ready for a more strongly co-ordinated national approach to the natural economy, drawing together and capitalising on a wide range of skills, knowledge, innovation and research capability while allowing individual institutions to retain distinct identities.
This is not a new direction for Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½. Our strongest examples already show how Scotland can move from research and industry partnership into practical productivity gains. Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½â€™s data-driven cattle genetics work is one example of how integrated data, science, industry uptake and advisory translation can produce measurable impact. That is the model we should build from: collaborative, data enabled, industry facing and measured by real-world outcomes.
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ also agrees with the report’s emphasis on agility, local food systems, green skills and strategic foresight. We do not, however, accept a narrow interpretation of Elmwood solely as an FE site. Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ is a mission-led tertiary, research-intensive institution. Its distinctive value lies in connecting Further Education, Higher Education, research, consultancy, enterprise, advisory practice and knowledge exchange within a single organisation focused on the needs of all of Scotland’s rural and natural economy. At the recent Colleges Scotland conference, Ben Macpherson, Minister for Innovation, Technology and Tertiary Education, called for stronger alignment between colleges, universities and apprenticeships, an alignment already deeply embedded in Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½â€™s approach.
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ has previously made a commitment to retaining a presence in North East Fife. Elmwood could have been closed after Fife College left the site, given the significant dilapidations at that point. Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ chose not to take this lower-cost route because it would have gone against our place-based tertiary strategy, which is demonstrated by our footprint across Scotland. The future of Elmwood should now be developed through partnership, positive dialogue and a wider regional proposition for skills, productivity, research, innovation and sustainable growth. In this context, Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ has recently won funding from the SFC as part of the wider transformation of the University sector to work in partnership with The James Hutton Institute (JHI) and the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) to grow innovation and skills in the blue and green economy. Building on this initiative, we shall continue to explore further opportunities to establish a leading centre for modern production horticulture, controlled environment agricultureÌý and skills. Working in partnership offers, we believe, a compelling opportunity to create a new model for horticulture that links apprenticeships, research, innovation and enterprise.
We have been concerned about the negative and detrimental impact on both staff morale and student numbers at Elmwood of some recent commentary. ÌýWe are, however, hopeful that following the publication of this report a more positive and optimistic outlook will support the development and strengthening of our offering at Elmwood Campus both now and in the future.
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Response to the Recommendations
The table below summarises Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½â€™s response to the six recommendations and identifies the immediate commitments and timings that will follow publication of the report. Some actions depend on the willingness and authority of partners to engage. Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ will be clear about the action it will take and where progress depends on others.
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Recommendation |
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ response |
Status |
Commitment and timing |
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1. Adopt a lean approach and review legacy structures. |
While this was out of scope of the agreed remit of the study, we agree that a leaner approach to business development is needed in the current economic climate. Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ is actively reviewing fixed asset structures to identify partnership, collaboration and reinvestment opportunities. |
Agree in principle |
We shall discuss with our Board. |
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2. Produce a plan for agricultural growth in Scotland, linked to investment in North East Fife. |
We agree that agricultural productivity and adoption of new technology and innovation needs to improve. However, the opportunity in North East Fife should be framed more broadly as part of the natural economy, including food, horticulture, land management, rural enterprise, golf, tourism, green skills and community wellbeing. |
Agree with broader framing |
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ will develop a North East Fife natural economy proposition. A first outline will be prepared within six months of publication. |
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3. Invest in Elmwood leadership and convene a project group and consultative group. |
Any investment decisions will need to be considered in the context of the exceptionally difficult financial climate that all further and higher education institutions are facing in Scotland.Ìý |
Disagree |
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ would be very glad to participate in a wider group to discuss the future of Elmwood as an FE Institute.Ìý However, this is not for Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ to lead as we are an independent, mission-led tertiary institution, not solely an FE institution.Ìý Community involvement would need to recognise, and be in the context of, the role of our trustees and our independent charitable status.Ìý |
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4. Continue to refine strategy and map activity to verifiable outcomes. |
While this is out of scope, we recognise that all Institutions need to constantly review their strategic objectives in a rapidly evolving and changing landscape. |
Agree |
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Board of Directors scrutinise the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor delivery against key performance indicators, with assurance from the Strategic Performance Committee. |
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5. Consider a fully implemented group company structure. |
We agree that governance and operating structures should support current and future strategic objectives. Any structural change must be tested through legal, financial, charity and governance processes. |
Further assessment required |
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ will consider the report’s comments on group structures, partnership vehicles and investment models through the appropriate governance route. |
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6. Normalise the contractual relationship with SFC. |
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ is in regular discussion and has an excellent relationship with SFC. Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ operates within the wider Scottish university and college funding framework and will work with SFC as required to ensure this system operates optimally.Ìý |
Further assessment required – discussions ongoing |
SFC is currently consulting on revisions to the way it funds the university, college and tertiary sectors in Scotland.Ìý Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ is fully engaged in these discussions.Ìý |
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Closing Statement
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ welcomes Professor Boyd’s report as a very useful contribution to the future of Elmwood, North East Fife and Scotland’s natural economy. The report recognises the importance of Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½â€™s role in the land-based economy and the potential of partnerships to unlock stronger outcomes to drive national priorities.
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ will respond by being clear about its intentions, honest about where further work is required, confident about its distinctive tertiary model, and practical about the steps that now need to be taken. The aim is not to promise a fully formed solution before the work has been done, it is to put in place the building blocks to test and secure a credible future for Elmwood. Our commitment to that remains unchanged.
Posted by Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ on 10/07/2026
