Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) was formed in 2012 following the merger of SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) with Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge Colleges. SRUC comprises three Divisions: SRUC Education, SAC Research and SAC Consulting. SRUC carries out teaching and research in Agriculture and Business Management, Animal and Equine studies, Environment and Countryside, Engineering, Science and Technology, Horticulture and Landscape and Sport and Tourism. In addition to the six campuses, SRUC consists of a number of research centres and consultancy offices across Scotland and the North of England, as well as six farms and eight veterinary disease surveillance centres.
The West of Scotland Agricultural College (WSAC) was formed in 1899, following the merger of the agricultural department of the Glasgow and the West of Scotland Technical College and the Scottish Dairy Institute.
WSAC was the first agricultural college in Scotland. In 1900, the College was based in Blythswood Square, Glasgow and leased Holmes Farm in Kilmarnock where practical work was undertaken. In 1927, the estate of Auchincruive, Ayr, was gifted to the College by the late John Hannah of Girvan Mains. It originally offered lectures and demonstration work in the science and practice of agriculture including; dairying, chemistry, botany, book-keeping and veterinary science. In 1974, the Blythswood square site was closed.
In 1990, the College became part of the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC)..
Painter born in Glasgow and studied at Glasgow School of Art.