Scottish Agricultural College

The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) was a higher education and research institution specialising in agriculture. It was formed in 1990 as a merger between three regional agricultural colleges. In 2012 it became part of Scotland's Rural University College.^[1] The work of the SAC in education and training, research and development and consultancy services, is continued by the SRUC.

History

In 1899 the agricultural department of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College amalgamated with the Scottish Dairy Institute and formed the West of Scotland Agricultural College (WSAC). In 1900 WSAC was based in Blythswood Square, Glasgow. In 1927 the estate of the late John Hannah of Girvan Mains, at Auchincruive near Ayr, was given to the college and in 1974 the Blythswood Square site was closed.^[2]

The Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agriculture had premises at George Square, Edinburgh, which were enlarged in 1904.^[3] In 1913 they formed a Joint Committee on Research in Animal Breeding with the University of Edinburgh.^[4]

In 1987 Scottish Agricultural Colleges was established as a company established to provide direct management of advisory and veterinary functions of the regional colleges, and in 1990 the Scottish Agricultural College was established bringing together the West of Scotland Agricultural College, the East of Scotland College of Agriculture, and the North of Scotland College of Agriculture in Aberdeen. This new specialist college was one of the largest of its type in Europe, and the largest in the UK.^[5]

A proposal to merge SAC with Barony College, Elmwood College and Oatridge College was put to public consultation between March and May 2012.^[6] Education Secretary Mike Russell voiced support for the merger in June 2012,^[7] and SRUC formally came into existence on 1 October 2012.^[8]

Education

SAC offered undergraduate and postgraduate programmes from its three campuses in Ayr, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, as well as training and on-line study, on topics including the environment, business, leisure, agriculture, horticulture and science. The college offered HNC and HND courses, as well as degrees, awarded by the University of Glasgow or the University of Edinburgh.

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