This is a special report undertaken by Viewforth Consulting. It is the second in a series
of analyses that we undertake from time to time to shed light on an important aspect of higher education impact. Other Special Reports
The University of St Andrews and the Kingdom of Fife: A happy marriage or reluctant partners?
Abstract:
The University of St Andrews has always been an international and outward facing organisation, by virtue of which
it brings benefits to the town of St Andrews and to Scotland as a whole. However its impact on Fife Region as a whole is less
recognised. Despite being Fife's only university, its actual and potential importance to the Kingdom of Fife community,
beyond the town of St Andrews, has been significantly underplayed, both by Fife public bodies and by the University itself.
The analysis identifies the, hitherto invisible, economic significance of the University to some of Fife's most deprived
areas. It shows that the University's impact is inevitably integral to the whole Fife economy. It suggests that the University's
apparent invisibility in its host region is problematic for both the University and for Fife itself. It means the University
is missing the opportunity to cultivate wider Fife community support for its activities and the Fife Region is failing to
harness the University's international strengths and reputation for local benefit.
Report can be downloaded from here