Scottish Agricultural College

The Scottish Agricultural College ("SAC") provides agricultural education, advice, consultancy and research services to rural communities and industries in Scotland.

SAC's mission is to "enhance the sustainability of the land-based industries". It has three main teaching campuses in Edinburgh, Ayr, and Aberdeen, as well as a network of 23 advisory offices, eight veterinary centres, and five research farms. Much of SAC's work is in partnership with government departments, local authorities, and other academic and research organisations.

In practice, SAC is split into three main working divisions: Consultancy, Education and Training, and Research.

Consultancy

SAC provides a range of consultancy services to more than 12,000 customers in Scotland, United Kingdom and worldwide. Their team of more than 360 consultants, veterinarians, technicians and support staff usually deliver independent, quality and accessible services to farmer, rural business, food processing and supplier markets. The portfolio of services ranges from prescribed subscriptions to bespoke individual consultancy contracts, but all are tailor-made to meet customers' requirements. Knowledge transfer consultancy solutions are based on sound research, practical outcomes and sound business sense. All customers will have direct access to the entire SAC resource through a nominated client service manager.

Education

SAC offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes from three campuses, as well as training and on-line study opportunities. Programmes can be studied on a full- or a part time basis and cover a wide range of topics including the environment, business, leisure, agriculture, horticulture and science. SAC's courses are vocational in nature and are often designed in consultation with industry, to ensure good employment prospects for its students. SAC offers NC, HNC, HND, and postgraduate courses, as well as degree (BSc, BA) courses. Its degrees are awarded by the University of Glasgow or the University of Edinburgh.

Research

SAC’s R&D programme aims to develop and provide knowledge that will have practical impact and help address the needs of our stakeholders in the land-based industries. Their R&D strategy is to achieve national and international recognition as an organisation capable of robust and high quality inter-disciplinary applied research. This includes the forging of appropriate partnerships and collaborations with other bodies to allow them to bring together excellence in selected core skills with equivalent excellence in other specialisms in other organisations. SAC's programme has four research areas: Land Economy and the Environment, Crops and Soils, Sustainable Livestock Systems, and Animal Health. Current projects in these areas include Design of Beef Cattle Handling Facilities, Improving Extensively Managed Hill Sheep Farms, Venereal Disease in Livestock, and PLINK – Improving the Effectiveness of Phosphorus use from Phosphate Rock in Organic Farming.

Aberdeen Research Consortium

The SAC is a member of the Aberdeen Research Consortium which also includes:
*University of Aberdeen
*Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Banchory Research Station
*FRS Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen
*Rowett Research Institute
*Robert Gordon University
*The Macaulay Institute

External links

* [http://www.sac.ac.uk Scottish Agricultural College]