University has strong Fife links

Sir, – James Robertson’s criticisms of St Andrews University (Letters, October 17) are founded in myth, and very old myth at that.

Far from “shrinking from our regional responsibilities” we are in actual fact reaching out to and working closely with schools and businesses across Fife, and have been doing so very successfully for years.

Our dedicated staff and students are regularly in primary and secondary schools across the kingdom mentoring and encouraging future students.

Just this week it was reported that the university and Fife schools are to pioneer a new multi-media curriculum about climate change and its effects on population movement.

We have invested £25 million in our new Eden Campus at Guardbridge in an effort to bring jobs and prosperity back to a part of Fife hit hard by the loss of Curtis Fife Papers a decade ago.

Meanwhile, a recent independent report by Biggar Economics found that we contribute £298.3 million to the Fife economy every year and support 4,830 jobs in the kingdom.

That’s over 2,000 more people than we directly employ.

Our new strategic plan includes a pledge to support and work with local business first, not just in day-to-day trade but in partnerships to help translate our research to products and innovations for the wider public good.

Our record on attracting students from deprived areas to St Andrews is the most rapidly improved in Scotland.

Last year, 49% of our intake of Scottish students came from deprived areas, had a background in care, a low progression school or had been in receipt of free school meals.

That’s a fantastic endorsement of the hard work of our widening access teams and the determination of our principal.

The final myth? We are not affluent nor do we enjoy “substantial state funding”.

Only 16% of our income comes from the Scottish Government.

Like the vast majority of other institutions, we are having to make very significant economies this year.

Fife has been our home for 600 years and we are proud of that fact.

Mr Robertson would be very welcome to find out just how much we are committed to and rooted in a community full of potential.

Niall Scott. Director of Communications, College Gate, St Andrews University.

Perth and Kinross has a much larger population than Dundee and the patients have to travel further and often rely on public transport which can unfortunately mean changes from bus to bus