BBC News | SCOTLAND | Education merger talks halted

Merger talks involving two higher education institutions in Edinburgh have been unexpectedly called off.

It was thought the deal between Heriot Watt University and Edinburgh College of Art was near completion.

But it has emerged that the talks had been stopped so that the art college could "pursue a future as a small specialised institution".

The decision to withdraw from negotiations was taken some time ago, but has only just been made public. Many students had voted against the merger.

A statement from Heriot Watt said it would continue to work with the college on a "wide range of academic and other matters".

Heriot Watt HQ
Heriot Watt will continue to work with the art college
Heriot Watt was established as a university in 1966.

Its roots date back to 1821 when it was founded by Leonard Horner as the School of Arts of Edinburgh.

Now based at Riccarton and the Scottish capital's second university, it has almost 15,000 students, about 1,000 staff and an income exceeding �60m.

Two years ago, Donald Dewar, the then Secretary of State for Scotland, approved the merger between Heriot Watt University and the Scottish College of Textiles.

The two institutions had been separately funded by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and each had had its own governing body.

The Edinburgh College of Art was established in Lauriston Place in 1907 and is closely linked with Heriot Watt University.


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