Innovative SRUC going global
SRUC will become a “global tertiary powerhouse” with an innovative ethos that will push the boundaries of education, research and outreach to deliver economic and social impact at a regional, national and global level.
Published today, the organisation’s new five-year strategy outlines how it will build on gaining taught degree-awarding powers by becoming Scotland’s first university college, delivering both further and higher education.
“Although SRUC in its present form has only been in existence since 2012, we have a long and distinguished history stretching back well over a century,” said Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC.
“We have experienced extraordinary growth in recent years, including opening Scotland’s first new vet school in more than 150 years and becoming the first Scottish higher education institution in nearly two decades to gain taught degree awarding powers.
“We are thrilled to unveil our new five-year strategy, which shows how we will build on these remarkable achievements by becoming a place-based university college working collaboratively to build a prosperous future for society and our economy by working with nature as part of a thriving natural economy.”
SRUC was formed following the merger of the Scottish Agricultural College and the regional colleges of Barony in Dumfries and Galloway, Elmwood in Fife and Oatridge in West Lothian.
As a provider of further and higher education, it is unique in offering land and rural skills courses from HNC all the way up to PhD level. Its sector-leading commercial activity includes SAC Consulting, while its world-leading research tackles global issues such as climate change; food, water and energy security; and biodiversity loss.
It was recently awarded its third Queen Elizabeth Prize – the highest honour available to UK higher education institutions – for the impact of the Scottish Farm Business Survey, which has been helping to shape Scottish agricultural practice and policy for nearly a century.
Prof Powell added: “We have already demonstrated the scale of our ambition and, through projects such as RAVIC in Inverness, the Dairy Nexus in Dumfries and Galloway and our vertical farm in Edinburgh, we have shown innovative new ways of working between business, government, communities and academia. Our new strategy builds on this success and shows what a sustainable future looks like, both for SRUC and for Scotland as a whole.”
Posted by SRUC on 23/02/2026
