Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop saw first-hand how the University of the West of Scotland's (UWS) new state-of-the-art Ayr Campus is taking shape.

Ms Hyslop examined blueprints and visited the site on Tuesday for the new 18,000 square metre campus as the UWS - which is benefitting from the accelerated capital spend announced by the Scottish Government earlier this year - gears up to get building work off the ground.

More than £20m has been brought forward from future further and higher education capital budgets in Scotland to help secure construction and engineering jobs in the local and national economy. Following the acceleration, the UWS will now receive almost £11m in capital funding for the two year period running to 2010. It will also receive a further £27.8m in capital funding from the Scottish Funding Council specifically for this project.

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Ms Hyslop said: "Creating better college and university campuses across Scotland where people can gain the skills and qualifications they need to gain employment, stay in work and play their part in Scotland's economic recovery and future is a top priority for this Government

"In difficult times people will look to get involved in learning as an alternative to employment and I'm delighted that the UWS has been able to benefit from the Scottish Government's decision to accelerate our capital spending in the public sector - a move which means that projects like this can begin sooner, that jobs in construction are created or safeguarded at this difficult time and that local communities can benefit more quickly from new facilities."

Depute Principal of the University of the West of Scotland Gill Troup said: "The campus, with support from the Scottish Funding Council, has been designed to be one of the UK's most environmentally sustainable higher education environments. Its creation will enable us to expand our course provision for people in Ayrshire and beyond, providing an innovative learning space for over 4000 students."

The new £70m campus beside the River Ayr - which is part of the UWS's £250m development programme - will be shared with the Scottish Agricultural College and includes teaching space, gym, refectory, library, lecture theatre, drama studio and computing labs. Construction work is due to start in September.

(GK/JM)