Latest news with #DundeeUniversity
The Courier
3 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University submits £100m rescue plea to government
Dundee University has submitted its formal request for a bumper £100 million cash bail-out to help reduced job losses and secure a stable future, The Courier can reveal. The request was received by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) after weeks of discussions between the university, funding body and government. It includes £40 million over two years and access to a liquidity facility of between £40m-£60m to support day-to-day spending. Together, that means the government could be putting together a rescue package of £100m. This is all on top of a previous loan of £22m already provided in March. Insiders suggest some of this cash could come in the form of commercial loans from lenders, though negotiations on access to lending facilities have stalled. The money will help to reduce the total number of redundancies and work towards a more stable financial footing over the next two years. And while the sum is considerable, sources say that ensuring the region's educational future is secure is at the top of the government's priority list. It comes after First Minister John Swinney was quizzed on the drawn-out negotiations at Holyrood on Thursday. 'The figure shouldn't be a surprise,' one insider said. 'The university have been engaging with the funding council and ministers on the level of support. This step was really just a formality.' In an email to staff, interim principal Shane O'Neill confirmed the request for support. He said: 'This additional support is necessary as we continue to make our recovery. 'We are making a substantial ask, which is reflective of the level of support needed around the proposals for a reduction in our staffing of up to 300 FTE via a voluntary severance scheme. 'The SFC will now consider the request we have made and we will provide further updates in due course. 'While those discussions continue I am not in a position to give substantive details but I will share more information as and when I can.' Interim court chair Tricia Bey previously told MSPs that without the cash the university would likely have run out of money by the end of June. Dundee-based Labour MSP Michael Marra said the SNP government should now 'follow through' on its commitment to provide the financial support required. The MSP said: 'The financial costings of the government's target of 300 redundancies has now been completed. 'It has taken far too long and ministers must now ensure immediate action so university staff can begin to plan their lives again. 'The voluntary severance scheme can, should, indeed must be launched in the next week. 'That will help to slow the financial bleeding that has gone unchecked for seven months since the scale of the crisis was made known to the public.' The Scottish Funding Council confirmed it had received the university's request.
The Courier
4 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
John Swinney responds to challenge over Dundee University rescue delay
John Swinney was challenged over when a rescue deal will be struck with Dundee University as it nears one month since an alternative recovery plan was published. The crisis-hit institution proposed to make 300 jobs redundant through a voluntary severance scheme to plug a £35 million deficit. On Thursday in Holyrood, the first minister said his government is yet to be approached as talks continue between officials, the university and the Scottish Funding Council. Mr Swinney responded to pressure over delays by saying he could not interfere in the drawn-out negotiations. It's feared the final bill required to bail out the struggling institution is likely to exceed £40 million. The Scottish Government has already provided £22 million in lifeline cash. North East Fife Lib Dem Willie Rennie, who challenged the first minister in Holyrood, said one employee had 'tears in her eyes' as she told him about the toll the jobs crisis has taken on her. 'This has been agonising for university staff,' he said. 'A cloud has been hanging over them since November. 'They simply cannot understand why we still have no financial agreement.' Dundee-based Labour MSP Michael Marra said one staff member told him: 'The endless delays and broken promises from management and government are leaving us all in despair.' The first minister was challenged to assure staff that the voluntary redundancy scheme would be open by the end of next week. Mr Swinney said: 'I can't give that commitment, because that would be me dictating to an independent institution.' The SNP leader said he had heard about the struggles of worried staff at meetings held in his own Perthshire constituency. He told MSPs: 'We are ready to consider any requests that are made to us. 'I'm encouraged by the university's commitment to minimise job losses, but it is vital the university consults on its revised plan. 'The University of Dundee is an autonomous institution. 'It has to take the initiative to come to the funding council and the government.' Mr Swinney insisted the university crisis will continue to have his 'most active engagement'. Dundee University initially proposed to axe 700 jobs before this was later scaled back. Staff went on strike this week in protest against compulsory redundancies in a leading forensic research hub at the institution.
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Art reviews: Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Degree Show 2025
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Degree Show 2025, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design ★★★★ The Wonder Store, Methil Heritage Museum ★★★★ It must be nearly summer. The sun is shining and degree show season is upon us, beginning in Dundee, where more than 450 students are presenting their work to the world at the Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show, including more than 90 graduates in Fine Art disciplines. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While the studios are peppered with posters protesting the proposed staff cuts at Dundee University, of which Duncan of Jordanstone is part, (it took me a while to work out that they weren't part of someone's degree show), even this doesn't dampen the general sense of celebration. The arrival of Jeremy Deller, working with students to create Bacchanalian festivities in the city as part of his National Gallery Meet the Gods project, could only add to the party. Work by Tom Speedy at the 2025 Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show | Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Dundee's art school has long had a reputation for skill, and this is a highly skilled degree show, including in painting, which is ubiquitous. This cohort of students, who began their courses in the late stages of the pandemic, wasted no time getting into the college's workshops, from ceramics to printmaking to 3D modelling, and learning skills to apply in their work. In a show with comparatively little lens-based work, Christopher Adam's 45-minute film An Guth/The Voice is both a satirical depiction of a small Scottish town and a deep-dive into language, belonging and traditional song. He also paints and makes prints. At least as ambitious is Robin Faye, who has made a partially devised 30-minute opera based on Kafka's Metamorphosis, making the costumes and sets, recruiting the singers from Dundee University's Opera Society and capturing the whole thing on film. Women now outnumber men significantly in art schools, and there is a strong strand in this degree show which addresses issues of gender equality, beginning with the history of art. Eilidh Pirie's outstanding pastel drawings on fabric reclaim the trope of the reclining woman, affirming that her 'room of her own' is a place for contemplation, solitude and fun. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rachel Herd experiments in her paintings with revealing the nude form and concealing it with draped fabric, while Emma Pirrie chooses to paint the nude figure and the fabric separately, letting each evoke the other. Her subjects are very much themselves, ambivalent about our gaze on them. Nicky Riding engages with the invisibility of menopausal and midlife women with verve and not a little anger. As well as overturning stereotypes like 'crone' and 'old bag', she has made a rather beautiful visual poem using the names of B&Q paint colours. Amy Lorimer paints thoughtful portraits of herself and her mother in a series called 'A Woman's Work is Never Done', while Clover Christopherson embraces 'hydrofeminism' with her cyanotype-on-silk portraits of women in water. Some students dive deep into ancient myths. Claire Black is inspired by the ancient Hindu texts, the Upanishads; her work makes particularly effective use of the imagery of the horse, and asks questions about ritual in today's world. Dee Atkinson draws on the myths attached to constellations, and on female figures in ancient Greece, making very accomplished white-on-black works using drawing and stitching. Others embrace popular culture. Hannah Maguire set out to explore the downside of fame using a fictional pop star called Roxie Burns, but Roxie soon took on a life of her own. The show ranges from publicity photos and record sleeves to tabloid front pages. Jodie Couper is looking at celebrity too, making vividly hyperreal paintings inspired by the stories of pop stars and influencers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kayley Mullen is a fine traditional painter. She has painted landscapes en plein air in Spain and Scotland, and studio portraits inspired by mythical figures like Pandora and Persephone. Jenna Donald's paintings are more informal, quietly illuminating everyday tasks. Poppy Gannon works with dried leaves, cutting and stitching them with what must be an incredible degree of patience and intricacy. Sometimes she places these tiny, delicate sculptures in her own bespoke ceramic vessels, accompanied by haiku-like phrases and, in one case, the sound of water in the trunk of a eucalyptus (surely a kind of haiku in itself). Work by Joy Jennings at the 2025 Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show | Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Joy Jennings encourages visitors to play with her multitude of tiny figures, The Formables: little human beings made in a range of materials, heavy and light, textured and smooth. Her work is highly sensory, as is that of Leah Macmillan who has made a range of 'touchable' pictures inspired by watching her grandmother lose her sight. The result is a series of three-dimensional landscapes which are interesting, whether one is sight-impaired or not. There is some accomplished printmaking: Stephanie Livingstone's etchings of poisonous flowers, which, depending on context are a threat or a source of life-saving medicine; Lisa Speirs Fleming's linocuts which mix the real and the surreal to tell a story of the strangeness of early motherhood; Yerin Kim's etchings from Scotland and China, which are a vehicle for her superb draftsmanship; Cameron Tucker, who relishes pattern, and prints prolifically on paper and textiles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tom Speedy's paintings are about drifting and displacement. His figures in landscapes are a kind of symbolism, worked in thick paint, then washed with spirits and materials like sand to create textures. Each canvas is square, measured from the width of his armspan. Finlay Warner has foraged across the buildings sites of Dundee for cast-off materials, and builds sculptures which lean, tilt or hang, not disguising his materials but making us see them in new ways. Pippa Carter's immersive three-screen film, Return to the Land, is a kind of contemporary sublime, while a second film, Dream of the Raven, explores her own journey to being at ease in the mountains. Nina Price paints small expressive landscapes of Shetland, where she grew up, experimenting with a bright palette of yellows and reds. Molly Smart takes over part of the canteen for a clever, ambitious show taking in Freudian psychology, consumerism, fish fingers and death by a ham sandwich. Afton Dick uses a mix of sculpture and 3D modelling to celebrate overlooked creatures, among them the dog tick and the bed bug (arachnophobes should steer clear of this space). Maeve Callister-Wafer's film Yn Sheenan (The Sound) explores the renaissance in Manx Gaelic, both spoken and sung. It's possible to give only a taste here of the different ways this newest generation of artists are finding their voice. Work by Ailsa Magnus at The Wonder Store | Contributed Meanwhile, in Methil, some local artists have put together an exhibition called The Wonder Store to help raise the profile of the local Heritage Centre. Fife being something of a mecca for artists these days, the line-up includes David Mach and his brother Robert, Kate Downie and Phil Jupitus, as well as others who grew up in the area, including the late Jack Vettriano, and the abstractionist William Gear. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The result is a show which really does live up its name, encompassing a wonderful variety of styles: David Mach's large photo-collage portrait of Eduardo Paolozzi, and coat hanger sculpture of his father; Robert Mach's Tunnocks wrapper Buddha (The Buddha of Methil?), Koons-esque balloon dogs and a hen wrapped in cream egg foils; Downie's charcoal drawings of a freight train on the Forth Bridge and a radio mast in Rosyth; sculptures by Ailsa Magnus; graphics and ceramics by Susan McGill; pieces made from objects found on Buckhaven beach by Gillian McFarland. My visit coincided with workshops for local P7s delivered by two of the artists. How good is it that these young people, some of whom have never encountered contemporary art before, are seeing it explode with possibilities, made by people who grew up, or have chosen to work, within a few miles of their homes? I hope seeds of inspiration were sown, and I might see some of their work at a degree show in the future.
The Courier
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University still to strike rescue deal with government
Dundee University chiefs are yet to strike a rescue deal with the government over funding their alternative recovery plan published almost a month ago, The Courier can reveal. Discussions are still being held between officials, the Scottish Funding Council and the university for the deal which is likely to exceed £40 million. Some £22 million has already been provided but insiders say the reduction in job losses will mean more financial support is required. The university's alternative plan proposes around 300 job losses through voluntary severance, a significant reduction of the original figure of 700. Intense talks are under way on the exact level of financial support which will be requested. The university's governing court is expected to discuss the proposals further next week. The 'ask' will then be made formally to the Scottish Funding Council and the government – who will then have to decide whether to stump up the cash. But more than a month since the alternative recovery plan was published, opposition politicians have questioned the delay. Dundee-based Labour MSP Michael Marra said: 'SNP Ministers set the specific target of job losses and asked the university to cost it. 'That work should have been completed weeks ago but I know the government are already aware of the costs of what they asked for. 'They must move now to expedite this grinding mess of a process.' The Labour MSP – his party's finance spokesman – said the situation could 'not be more urgent' for the city. He added: 'The education secretary was clear that the government was open to providing further funding via the SFC, and the first minister said directly that the original recovery plan was completely unacceptable. 'They must now be as good as their word and get a plan finalised immediately.' His concerns are shared by North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie, who serves as the Liberal Democrat education spokesman. He said the continued assurances the issue was being dealt with at the highest reach of government meant there was 'no excuse' for unnecessary delay. 'Staff at the university have been left to face mounting uncertainty for months, which has only been exacerbated by the lack of a clear response from ministers. 'So far there is little evidence of the determination which [First Minister] John Swinney promised. 'The government must stick to its word and the clear indication that it would step up with further support. They need to provide a response without prevarication. 'The longer the government's indecision continues, the greater the anxiety for staff, and the greater the damage to confidence in the institution will be.' A spokeswoman for the Scottish Funding Council said it was working closely with the university as it finalises the financial details. She said: 'While we recognise that staff will understandably be anxious, equally this is a complex process, and the necessary time is needed to ensure due diligence is carried out. 'The funding council is engaging intensively with the University of Dundee, and it is expected that there will be an announcement on funding requirements in the near future.' SNP universities minister Graeme Dey told The Courier the situation was being treated with 'urgency'. He said: 'We continue to hold regular meetings with the Scottish Funding Council, Dundee University and trade unions. 'The deputy first minister is also chairing a cross-Ministerial group to consider what further action the Scottish Government may be able to take. 'Work is continuing with the Scottish Funding Council on the further development of an alternative financial recovery plan.'
The Courier
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Dundee University activist artist leads degree show protest over financial crisis
A fine art student studying at Dundee's Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design is using his degree show to protest the university's plan to cut jobs to fill a £35 million budget deficit. A school-wide demonstration is to take place during the two-week degree show at DJCAD – one of the most anticipated events in the university's calendar which attracts thousands of visitors. The students – whose protest will take the form of posters throughout the show – say they want to show their frustration with senior management over its handling of the financial crisis. Original plans suggested over 600 staff could lose their jobs, though the alternative recovery plan has reduced this figure to 300 full-time equivalent roles. The students say they have been working with campus unions to collate snapshots of the crisis, ranging from 'misleading' emails sent by senior management to the worries and experiences of staff and students. They hope it will give visitors a sense of the scale of the crisis. Mr Millar said: 'The degree show is an opportunity for our year to make a real lasting impact on this university and play a role in saving not only the jobs and livelihoods of staff who got us to where we are today, but also ensure future students get the best quality of education they can and keep this university alive.' It is understood around 150 students taking part in the show have agreed to display the posters alongside their work. The DJCAD Degree Show 2025 begins May 24 and runs until June 1. It is open daily between 10am and 4pm. North East MSP and Dundee University rector-elect Maggie Chapman commended Mr Millar and those involved in the project. She told The Courier: 'Art and activism have a longstanding and important relationship: shining a light on injustice, exposing poor decision-making, and giving voice to those usually ignored or silenced.' She said she hopes the university will recognise the project as a warning to 'change course, to listen to the university community, and work with students and staff for everyone's future'.
