Salmond opens new Anniesland College

Words By Lynsay Keough

The stunning new building that is Anniesland College, was opened on Thursday 26 August, by First Minister, Alex Salmond.a

The new development, which was conceived in 1997 as a strategic plan, has been completed on a budget of £50 million – £45.1million of which was granted by the Scottish Funding Council.
Founded in 1964, the College has always been known for its strong links with the local business community. In her speech, College Principal, Linda McTavish, thanked the local community council and residents,  for their patience during the construction work. She said: ‘We are celebrating the links that go deep with both local, national and now,  international, firms. We are constantly developing and reshaping courses and this new building will enable us to showcase our facilities and bring in even more commercial interest.’
Another aim of the college is to provide access to education for  people who may have missed opportunities at school and would now like to return to learning as mature students. To assist with that, the College has a purpose-built nursery with more than 60 places for students’  children.
The First Minister reflected in his speech that this year marks the 450th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation which saw the creation of a school in every parish. He said: ‘Surely free education is the most important Scottish invention of all?’