A new start for Shetland UHI

August 2021 saw the completion of a merger between three higher education institutions in Shetland: NAFC Marine Centre, Shetland College UHI, and Train Shetland. The new body, named Shetland UHI, is responsible for guiding over 800 students through nearly 200 courses and apprenticeships in a range of subjects you simply won’t find anywhere else in the UK.

Shetland UHI aims to respond to the learning and training needs of local industry, community, and people. Given the need to provide ongoing tertiary education tailored to meet those needs, all levels are available from post-school academic learning and apprenticeships, to short courses, on-the-job training, degrees and post-graduate studies.

Given Shetland’s rich heritage and dynamic industries, there are unique opportunities and unrivalled expertise in traditional sectors such as textiles and sailing, as well as exciting newer industries like marine engineering, aquaculture and soon, maybe even space.

While some studies are unique to Shetland, many are available across the wider UHI network. However, even then the isles offer unrivalled opportunity – for instance, students of Archaeology in Shetland will receive the same high-quality learning as those studying across the Highlands and Islands, but with the advantage of local archaeological expertise and world-famous sites stretching back to the Neolithic period.

Aquaculture

Given Shetland’s fishing culture, it’s no wonder that the isles provide a fantastic environment to study this multi-billion pound industry. Courses are offered at all levels: from short, practical courses on Fish Health, Parasites, and Biosecurity; to professional development courses on Aquaculture Management; as well as a host of related opportunities in safety and sailing.

Shetland UHI’s expertise in the subject is so well renowned that it has even begun to attract students from across the world.

In October 2021, a new remote learning course was developed for students in Southeast Asia’s burgeoning aquaculture industry. Just the first run of the course has seen students from Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, with plans to expand to Singapore, Myanmar, Malaysia and Brunei.

Creative industries

Shetland’s artistic and crafting traditions stretch back hundreds of years, and Shetland UHI has an unparalleled spectrum of choices for students, in everything from film-making to music.

As the name ‘Shetland’ is synonymous with high-quality knitting and weaving, there’s no better place to study the subject. The Honours degree in Contemporary Textiles is a four-year course provided by the Centre for Island Creativity, which allows students to learn the theory and practical skills required to design and produce textile arts.

Given the isles’ rich cottage weaving industry, the Centre of Island Creativity places a high value on creators who are based in rural locations, offering support and innovative technological solutions to encourage artists and creators in remote places.

Maritime studies

Shetlanders have been sailing since prehistory, and today it remains huge part of the culture and industry. Shetland UHI supports its maritime students and cadets with state-of-the-art facilities such as the Cadet Room (pictured above), which can simulate sailing into ports across the world, and decades of industry links, such as the Merchant Navy Cadet Programme.

There are also partnerships with companies such as NorthLink that provide on-the-job training for trainees from Deck Cadet level to Officer of the Watch. Courses such as this are only offered by a handful of institutions across the UK.

For more hands-on roles, there is also the HNC in Marine Engineering – a stand-alone course that doesn’t require the student to be in employment, and is a great foundation for further study – and the highly-sought-after Modern Apprenticeship in Engine Room Rating.

And beyond

With the development of a spaceport in Unst, the stars are within reach. Keen to support this nascent local industry, Shetland UHI hosted their first Space 101 Day in partnership with SaxaVord Spaceport.

There were lectures (both in-person and online) on subjects including Rocketry, Astronomy and Archaeology from UHI staff and world-renowned experts in the fields. Shetland UHI’s Lerwick campus will also play host to a series of events, such as a virtual reality experience, space art exhibit, and spaceport design contest.

Prof Jane Lewis is Shetland UHI principal and is excited by what the future could hold.

“As the new college for Shetland, we are keen to play our part in inspiring the whole community to take an interest in space and the exciting opportunities offered by having a spaceport on our doorstep.”

As this sector grows, Shetland UHI are keen to develop opportunities to support local involvement, such as apprenticeships in space-based industries.

Nowhere else in the world can you take your choice from a range of studies covering archaeology, traditional textiles, renewable energy and the space industry. But that’s Shetland for you – rooted in the past with eyes on the future.

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