Press Release
27th August 2012
NAFC Marine Centre and Shetland College to return to separate directorships
NAFC Marine Centre and Shetland College are to return to having their own directors after an eighteen-month period of shared leadership under the tenure of Professor David Gray.
Prof. Gray became director of NAFC Marine Centre in December 2008. In February 2011 he was appointed to jointly manage NAFC Marine Centre and Shetland College on a temporary basis, following the early retirement of the latter’s director, George Smith.
In his time with Shetland College, Prof. Gray has progressed the Shetland College Phase 3 capital project; overseen the preparation of the HMIE inspection in 2011; and developed relationships between the University of the Highlands and Islands and the Funding Council.
Prof. Gray will return to NAFC Marine Centre on a full time basis. This follows a request from the NAFC Marine Centre Board of Trustees to terminate the agreement between the Centre and the Shetland Islands Council onjoint directorship. The Board feels that, with the current financial challenges being faced by the higher education sector and the on-going regionalisation model being implemented by the Scottish Government, it is in the best interests of the Trust to have their director back on a full time basis.
Shetland Islands Council Director of Development, Neil Grant, will be working with Prof. Gray and the Shetland College Board to identify future management arrangements for Shetland College.
The shared directorship agreement requires a three-month notice period; however NAFC Marine Centre will work with Shetland College to ensure that enough time given over to make the necessary arrangements and secure a smooth transition.
Chairman of the Shetland College Board, Councillor Drew Ratter, said: ‘I have enjoyed my short period working with David, but entirely understand the Marine Centre's feeling that he is needed full time there. When the arrangement was put in place, the Scottish Government's regionalisation strategy was not under consideration, let alone under way, and Shetland Islands Council's financial situation was not in quite such clear focus as it is today.
Cllr. Ratter continued: ‘I am confident that suitable interim arrangements can be put in place quickly. This is essential, and I will work hard to achieve that end.’