Scottish Agricultural College

Corporate Biography

Dates

1990-

Location of main offices

Aberdeen, Auchincruive, Edinburgh

Main function

Higher education institution

Non-preferred terms

SAC

Related authority entries

West of Scotland Agricultural College

History

The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) was established in 1990. It brought within a single corporate identity the activities and resources of the North of Scotland College of Agriculture (Aberdeen), East of Scotland College of Agriculture (Edinburgh) and West of Scotland Agricultural College (Auchincruive, Ayr) together with those of Scottish Agricultural Colleges, a company established in 1987 to directly manage their advisory and veterinary functions on an all-round basis. It is the largest specialist college of its type in the United Kingdom and amongst the largest in Europe.

Details of premises

The College has three centres of study - at Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Auchincruive, Ayr and there are eight veterinary centres and 24 advisory offices throughout Scotland.

Mandate

The SAC aims to enhance the sustainability of rural areas and communities and the viability of the industries on which they depend. The College has three main functions, education and training; research and development; advisory and consultancy work. Education and training take place at the centres of study and their associated farms. Research and specialist advisory work take place at the centres of study, farms and veterinary centres. The advisory offices provide the location for local authority services and provide resources for extension work and training. It offers around 30 diplomas, degrees and postgraduate courses. Its main fields are in animal sciences, veterinary sciences, plant sciences, environmental sciences, food science and technology, building design, engineering and mechanisation, economics and resource management.

Administrative structure

The SAC is a charitable company limited by guarantee and in receipt of grant-in-aid from the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department.

Reference codes of collections created by the corporate body

Notes

Rules or Conventions

Authority record created according to the National Council on ArchivesRules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (NCA Rules)1997 and International Council on Archives: Ad Hoc Committee on Descriptive StandardsInternational Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families (ISAAR)CPF1995.

Date of Creation

Corporate name authority record compiled for the GASHE project by Emily Woolmore, GASHE project archivist, 28 March 2000.