Finishing touches for new college

Dr Craig Thomson: "We're stronger together than apart"

The creation of Scotland's newest college has been completed with the merger of two institutions in Fife.

Fife and Glenrothes colleges have combined to form the Adam Smith College based in Glenrothes.

The new college, the third largest in Scotland, will have 20,000 students and 700 staff. It is expected to have a turnover of £28m.

Principal Craig Thomson described it as being "at the forefront of a wave of modernisation sweeping education".

"Colleges across the UK must take some fairly tough decisions on how they can best equip themselves for the future," he said.

"Both Fife and Glenrothes colleges made that journey and we decided that we were stronger together than apart. Merger is certainly one of the keys to the future for the college sector."

'International reach'

Dr Thomson added: "Our reach is also international and this will be a key focus for us as we look to grow and develop the college and capitalise on our position as a leader of further education."

The new college is named after the political economist and philospher who was born in Kirkcaldy in 1723.

The author of the influential Wealth of Nations is hailed as "the father of modern economics" .