SCOTLAND'S single Catholic college of education — to be known as St Andrew's college — will begin operations on its joint Glasgow-Edinburgh campus in September.
The new college is the result of a shotgun marriage, ordered by the Government, between Craiglockhart and Notre Dame colleges of education.
The college is still awaiting a principal. Neither Sr Sheila Hayes of Craiglockhart, nor Sr Margaret Sheridan of Notre Dame, have yet announced which one of them is to stand down. Nor has the new board of governors been named.
Of the two former colleges Notre Dame has come out on top, retaining its hard-won role as a degree-giving institution while Craiglockhart has been relegated to training non-graduate primary teachers and running in-service courses as an out-station of Bearsden.
Only 30 new students will find places at the Edinburgh college in September.
Not even the most ardent supporter of Notre Dame would argue that the merger does much to strengthen the overall position of Catholic education in Scotland. The only clear victor is the Government purse.