The Scottish Government has announced that an expert group from across academia, industry and local and national government is to be convened to help secure the future of the University of Dundee.

The University of Dundee Strategic Advisory Taskforce will meet for the first time this month to develop recommendations to support the university and its role in the wider city region in the wake of financial challenges which resulted in the threat of insolvency.

The government said that the Taskforce will focus on key issues linked to the recovery of the university, such as its teaching and research strengths in fields like life sciences, and will aim to advise the university, the Scottish Funding Council, Ministers and the City region of potential options, though the university will remain the legally responsible decision maker.

Sir Alan Langlands, former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee and chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, is set to serve as chair, with the final membership currently still to be confirmed.

“We are establishing this Taskforce to ensure the University of Dundee has all the important advice and expertise needed to recover and build a strong, secure and sustainable future,” said Jenny Gilruth, Scottish Education Secretary.

“Ministers are determined that the institution – with a vibrant community of staff and students at its heart – will thrive long into the future.

“We will draw on the expertise of the Taskforce to identify credible solutions and do everything possible to protect the interests of current and future students and staff. We will take account of all potential sources of funding and support, and we will continue to carefully consider any further asks of Government.”

In addition to the advisory Taskforce, the deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, is chairing a cross-ministerial group to consider what further action the Scottish Government can take to support Dundee University as it continues to develop its financial recovery plan.

The Scottish Funding Council has already provided a £22 million lifeline to the university as support for liquidity, and has been working closely with the institution to assess the scale of the crisis, which first became public in November 2024 after a warning to staff that job cuts were incoming as the institution faced up to a £30 million deficit.

In a bid to address the financial black hole, the university announced plans to cut 632 full-time equivalent posts, with the university’s interim Principal, Professor Shane O’Neill, suggesting this could save as much as £49 million, sparking more concern among staff now facing an uncertain future.

O’Neill told a recent meeting of the Education Committee that the emergency funding from the SFC and Scottish Government would help to address the university’s immediate challenges and allow the executive team space to borrow from commercial lenders for restructuring.

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However, according to reports from the Courier, Dundee’s negotiations with these lenders have since stalled, with banks reluctant to hand over millions in cash until the latest student recruitment numbers become clear in September.  

Responding to news of the Taskforce, O’Neill said: “We welcome the announcement of the Strategic Advisory Taskforce and the appointment of Sir Alan Langlands as its chair.

“We are committed to engaging fully with the Taskforce to ensure the future success and sustainability of the University.”

To bolster the Scottish higher education system, the Government also recently announced a further £10 million for the Scottish Funding Council to support universities as they navigate financial difficulties.

That new funding brings the total additional support for the sector up to £25 million, on top of the £1.1 billion in the 2025-26 budget for university teaching and research.