College Transformation

Dundee & Angus College has unveiled ambitious plans to drive economic growth and regeneration in the heart of both Dundee and Angus as part of a 10-year vision for a dynamic new way of providing learning, skills, support and advice in the region.

The College is looking to work with a range of local and national partners to develop a collaborative model that would bring education, employability services and support together under one roof for the first time in Scotland, following an innovative model that has been pioneered in Australia and Scandinavia.

In Dundee, the College is considering relocating to a new facility on the site of the city’s Wellgate Shopping Centre as part of a major new development at the east end of the city centre.

In Arbroath, the College is considering moving their campus into the centre of the town. One of a range of options being explored is developing the site currently occupied by the Abbeygate Shopping Centre, with discussions at a very early stage as the owners consider several potential options.

The College’s third campus at Gardyne would be expanded and developed to include Construction, Engineering and Science in a new purpose-built STEM facility, incorporating a green skills and innovation hub.

Simon Hewitt, Principal of Dundee & Angus College, said: “This is an amazing opportunity to build world-class facilities that are fit for the future and develop a transformational model for education and employment services located in the heart of each community we serve.

“We want to bring together partners to provide advice, support, training and skills under one roof. Every individual would have access to all of this in one place, tailored to their needs.

“If we were to develop a new campus on the site of the Wellgate Shopping Centre, it would put the college at the heart of Dundee’s regeneration and breathe much-needed new life into the city centre.

“In Arbroath, we have been developing incredibly exciting plans to put Dundee & Angus College firmly in the centre of the town where our staff and students would help provide a boost to the local economy. This would complement the plans and actions being developed by the Arbroath Town Board to improve the high street.

“Not only would each new campus be modern, sustainable, fully digital environments, but they would also be right at the core of each community helping to advise, educate and train the workers that the Dundee and Angus region will need to continue its economic regeneration.”

At this early stage, the full programme is unknown but initial estimates are that the building works are expected to cost around £265 million. The final funding package has yet to be agreed but the College has begun talks on a range of options. It is also anticipated that the new campuses will incorporate design and build features which will contribute to the Scottish Government’s net zero ambitions.

Mr Hewitt added: “Of course, it will be a huge undertaking to build a new campus and move our operations, but the effort is worth it for the benefits it will bring to learners in this region. We have a duty to give them the best experience we possibly can. We will collaborate and engage with colleagues, partners, neighbours and communities to help to develop and shape our plans.”

D&A College’s Kingsway Campus, opened in 1963, would close as part of the ambitious campus vision as would the current Arbroath site which has buildings dating back to the 19th century.

The estates vision centres on the creation of a transformative and innovative approach to providing employability services including advice, support and training from a range of public sector bodies on an integrated basis. This would involve bringing together a partnership of agencies to deliver help and advice to individuals in the same environment as potential training and upskilling opportunities.

The plan envisions new facilities rooted in the heart of both Dundee city and Arbroath town that will act as catalysts for regeneration of both areas, bringing thousands of people to these centres on a weekly basis.

Councillor Mark Flynn, leader of Dundee City Council, said: “This is an exciting announcement for Dundee.

“It has the potential to be a massive investment not only in the future of the College but also our city centre.

"The council is working alongside a range of partners to secure improvements for the city centre to make it a vibrant location for locals and visitors alike.

“Different, creative thinking about how we use buildings and spaces is at the heart of our 30-year masterplan to reinvent central Dundee. I look forward to seeing how this prominent site develops.”

Leader of Angus Council, Councillor Bill Duff said: “We welcome this ambitious development for the College which already provides an impressive range of opportunities for our young people to develop their skills and education closer to home.

“We are excited about the possibilities that the College’s vision will bring for students from across the whole of Angus, as well as complementing the range of redevelopment projects taking place in Arbroath already.”

A spokesperson for Wellgate Centre said, “Together with Dundee City Council, we’ve been exploring sustainable repurposing options for the Wellgate Centre, beyond its current predominately retail use. The prospect of establishing a City Centre College campus delivering learning, employment services and support is hugely exciting and we continue to work with the Council and College to try to make this vision a reality.”

The new delivery model for college education and employability services has been developed from the 2022-27 Discover Work Strategy of the Local Employability Partnership in Dundee.

College Chair Laurie O’Donnell explained: “The facilities will be much more than traditional college or administrative buildings. They will serve as a central hub of support, innovation and opportunity, creating new opportunities and ways of working.

“The College’s shared vision of partnership not only promises to enhance the wellbeing of each community but also to act as the catalyst for sustainable growth, transformation, regeneration and prosperity for generations to come.

“D&A College will be bringing to Scotland an approach that has been highly successful elsewhere in the world, continuing our track record of being innovative and future focused.”

Initial talks have begun with partners from across the public sector. The aim would be to bring as many services together to make the transfer from learning to work as efficient as possible.

Mr O’Donnell added: “We are proud of the achievements of our students and our staff. Working collaboratively with them to provide the best possible learning environment will be crucial to their future successes.”

The Scottish Funding Council launched its College Infrastructure Strategy Delivery Plan in 2023 which outlines the series of steps colleges must go through to make a case for more longer-term investment.

Martin Boyle, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “Giving students inspiring places to learn and supporting regional skills and economies is an ambition SFC shares with Dundee and Angus College.

“We are currently working with all of Scotland’s colleges to develop an Infrastructure Investment Plan which will look at all college estates development from physical, digital and net zero perspectives.

“We look forward to working with Dundee and Angus College to see how its vision fits into the national plan.”

Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee City West constituency, said: “Dundee & Angus College is an integral part of our city and the wider region, playing a vital role in contributing to economic growth, equipping students with the skills to help them into jobs and providing the highly trained workforce employers need.

“These exciting new plans will contribute enormously to Dundee’s ongoing regeneration and are an example of the college’s innovative, creative, and collaborative work.

“I look forward to continued engagement with Dundee & Angus College, as well as other stakeholders, to ensure that these ambitions become a reality.”