Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, 14 Jan 2009

Meeting date: Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Official Report 261KB pdf

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Subordinate Legislation

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Edinburgh Napier University Order of Council 2008 (SSI 2008/388)

The third item on our agenda is consideration of subordinate legislation: the Edinburgh Napier University Order of Council 2008 (SSI 2008/388). Do members wish to comment on the order?

Concerns have been raised with me about the level of consultation that was carried out. We have some information on that in the Executive note, which says that there was

"comprehensive consultation on the proposed name change".

However, some groups—particularly staff groups, though not particularly Napier University staff—are concerned about whether the name change will impact on other universities and about the extent of the consultation with other colleges and universities. Do we have any further information on that?

We do not and, unfortunately, we do not have anyone here who is in a position to answer the question. We could write to the Government to seek assurances, but I point out that we have to make a decision on the order today, because we have to report to the Parliament by 19 January, so we are unable to wait for a response. However, we could write to the Government on the issues that have been raised and seek assurances that Napier University consulted fully, as the Executive note outlines.

I have no wish to delay today's decision, but it would be helpful if we had some assurances about the level of consultation or some clarification about the extent to which a university has to consult other universities on a name change. Is it recognised that a name change might have an impact on other institutions?

Has that concern come about because "Edinburgh" is in the university's proposed new title or is it more specific than that?

I suspect that it is partly because "Edinburgh" is in the proposed new title. The University and College Union contacted me because it was not aware of the name change.

Is it concerned about the name specifically or just the process?

I think that it would be happy if it could have assurances about the process and the consultation.

So it is not about the name.

No, I do not think that it wished to raise that issue formally.

Would it be helpful to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning for some detail about the issues that have to be consulted on when an institution wishes to change its name and the requirements that are placed on such an institution?

Members indicated agreement.

We will move on to our consideration of the order. Does the committee agree to make no recommendations on the order?

Members indicated agreement.

The Parliament will be notified. That brings the public part of the meeting to a close. Our next meeting will be on 21 January.

Meeting continued in private until 12:38.