University of Dundee: Strategic Advisory Taskforce report
The University of Dundee Strategic Advisory Taskforce was established by Scottish Ministers, working with the University, Scottish Funding Council and Dundee City Council, to provide advice to inform decisions on the University's future. This is the final report of the Taskforce.
Foreword
It has been a privilege to return to the University of Dundee in recent months, albeit in very difficult circumstances. My Principalship covered the period 2000 to 2009, followed by time as the Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds.
My commitment to the students and staff of the University is undiminished, and their resilience over the past year is inspirational. The University Charter of 1967 states that:
“…. the objects of the University shall be to advance and diffuse knowledge, wisdom and understanding by teaching and research and by the example and influence of its corporate life.”
Almost sixty years on, this manifests itself in the excellence of the University’s student education and support; world leading and internationally significant research and innovation; and very substantial contributions to the economic, social and cultural life of the City of Dundee, and the wider national and global economies.
However, this must now be seen in the context of the very considerable financial challenges facing the higher education sector as a whole, and a period of financial crisis in Dundee, defined by a structural deficit running to tens of millions of pounds, rapidly diminishing cash balances, and severe liquidity issues.
The University is now addressing the well-documented concerns about the capacity and capability of leadership, governance and effective financial management; and preparing a University Recovery Plan to stabilise the current financial position as a platform for medium and longer term sustainability. It does so with a new interim Principal, Director of Finance, Chief Operating Officer, and University Secretary in place; and with the support of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), and the Government’s direction under Section 25 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005.
The University of Dundee Strategic Advisory Taskforce was set up in April 2025 to advise the University, the SFC, the City of Dundee, and Scottish Ministers and does so in this report, whilst respecting the autonomy of the University and the authority of the SFC. The Taskforce has no hesitation in accentuating the positives of the University, whilst recognising the urgent need for far reaching decisions about cost reductions, income generation, and the rationalisation of its assets. It is my hope that the collective wisdom of the University community can make a new pattern of its experience, finding the right balance between continuity and, where needed, change which recognises and addresses current economic realities.
Alan Langlands
Chair