It was announced in October 2009 that SCRI and the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute have agreed in principle to unite to form a new ‘super institute’. The merger will take place in Spring 2011.

The New Institute will strengthen Scotland's rural-environmental research capacity and further enhance international competitiveness.

It will be the first institute of its kind in Europe and will be a new powerhouse for research into food, land use and climate change.

Read more about the announcement here.

Chief Executive named for New Institute

A leading Scots scientist – currently working in Australia – has been named as the Chief Executive designate to lead Scotland’s new, crop, food and land use research organisation. Professor Iain Gordon, who holds both British and Australian nationality, will take on the role.

Currently he is leading biodiversity research teams across various centres for CSIRO - the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation - in Canberra. CSIRO is the national government body for scientific research in Australia. Read the full story here.

New Institute board members

Members from the current SCRI and MLURI boards recently selected by Ray Perman, Chairman of the New Institute, to sit on the New Institute board have been announced.

From SCRI:

• Wilson Sibbett
• David Boxer
• Sandy Morrison
• Allan Stevenson

From MLURI:

• Laura Meagher
• Brian Clark
• Alan Werritty
• Julia Edgar

New Chairman announced

The Chairmen of the Governing Boards of the Macaulay Land Use and the Scottish Crop Research Institutes announced the appointment of Ray Perman as the Chair of the new scientific research institute on 23 March 2010. Ray Perman is a former chair of WWF Scotland and a trustee of WWF UK. He was a board member of Scottish Enterprise until December 2009 and chair of Social Investment Scotland. Read the full news story here.

Related news

Moredun to be affiliated to New Institute

The plan for SCRI and the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute to form a new ‘super-institute’ has been further boosted by news that the Moredun Research Institute is likely to become an “affiliate” of the new organisation. Read more.