West Highland College ( gd, Colaiste na Gàidhealtachd an Iar) is a college of further and higher education in the
West Highlands
The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland ...
of Scotland. The college is part of the
University of the Highlands and Islands
, type = federal, public
, image_name = UHI Coat of Arms.jpg
, image_size = 150px
, established = 2011 – University status 1992 – UHI Millennium Institute
, chancellor = The Princess Royal
, vice_chancellor =
, budget = £139m (202 ...
and operates from a number of college centres across the area, at
Auchtertyre,
Broadford,
Fort William,
Kilchoan
Kilchoan ( gd, Cille Chòmhain) is a village on the Scottish peninsula of Ardnamurchan, beside the Sound of Mull in Lochaber, Highland. It is the most westerly village in mainland Britain, although several tiny hamlets lie further west on th ...
,
Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven () ( gd, Ceann Loch Lìobhann) is a village located in Lochaber, in the Scottish Highlands and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven. To the north lie the Mamores ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe.
The village ...
,
Mallaig
Mallaig (; gd, Malaig derived from Old Norse , meaning sand dune bay) is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland railway line (Fort Willi ...
,
Portree
Portree (; gd, Port Rìgh, ) is the largest town on, and capital of, the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Murray, W.H. (1966) ''The Hebrides''. London. Heinemann. Pages 154-155. It is the location for the only secondary school o ...
,
Strontian
Strontian (;
gd, Sròn an t-Sìthein) is the main village in Sunart, an area in western Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, on the A861 road. Prior to 1975 it was part of Argyllshire. It lies on the north shore of Loch Sunart, close to the head of ...
and
Ullapool
Ullapool (; gd, Ulapul ) is a village and port located in Northern Scotland. Ullapool has a population of around 1,500 inhabitants. It is located around northwest of Inverness in Ross and Cromarty, Scottish Highlands. Despite its modest size, ...
.
West Highland College was formed in August 2010 from the merger of Lochaber College (founded in 1998) with Skye & Wester Ross College (dates to 2003).
School of Adventure Studies is based at Fort William & Broadford College centres. It delivers two Further Education courses at Level 5 & 6 and four honours degrees in Adventure Tourism Management, Adventure Performance & Coaching, Adventure Education & Marine Costal Tourism.
In February 2012 Dr Michael Foxley became chair of the college.
In January 2013 it was announced that money from the
European Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is one of the European Structural and Investment Funds allocated by the European Union. Its purpose is to transfer money from richer regions (not countries), and invest it in the infrastructure and s ...
would go towards a new building for the Portree campus. The building would have capacity to support 300 learners, with an additional 60 full-time places available from September 2013.
An external review of the college in 2014 by
Education Scotland
Education Scotland ( gd, Foghlam Alba) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, tasked with improving the quality of the country's education system.
Origins
The creation of the Agency was announced by Scottish Government Education a ...
included positive findings.
College centres
* Auchtertyre:
* Broadford:
* Fort William:
* Kilchoan:
* Kinlochleven:
* Mallaig:
* Portree, Fingal Centre:
* Portree, Creative Arts & Education Centre:
* Strontian:
* Ullapool:
References
University of the Highlands and Islands
Further education colleges in Scotland
Higher education colleges in Scotland
Lochaber
Educational institutions established in 2010
2010 establishments in Scotland
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