Think of Oban, and what springs to mind? Perhaps it’s the seafood, ferry links to the islands, or a tourist hot-spot. But what about a University Town?
2017-2018 figures showed that students made up as much as 10 per cent of the Oban populati on, so it is fair to say that Oban is already a University Town. A significant proporti on of these students were registered with the University of the Highlands and Islands, studying at Argyll College UHI or SAMS UHI. Additi onally, Ballet West offer degree courses accredited by The Open University, and there are students based at the hospital, in surgeries, at SAMS and other organisati ons in and around Oban who are registered at other universiti es. It is also important to consider the hundreds of pupils in their final years at Oban High School, who may become the next generati on of employees for the region. Conservati ve esti mates suggest that there are likely 1,000 students in Oban already once all of these are factored in.