University of the Highlands and Islands  The University of the Highlands and Islands () is a tertiary university composed of Academic Partners which are the 13 colleges and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland delivering higher education. Its executive office is in the former Royal Northern Infirmary building in Inverness. The University of the Highlands and Islands has a number of undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes, most of which can be studied at a range of locations across the area. There are 9,984 students who are on undergraduate and postgraduate courses and 31,533 further education students. There are 70 learning centres spread around the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Perthshire. While the University of the Highlands and Islands is Scotland's newest university, many of its 13 colleges and research institutions have longer histories, the earliest having been founded in the 19th Century. The UHI network has had a unique structure and the way that it has evolved as a multi-campus institution has been constrained by a legislative framework that deals with further and higher education separately. Technology has played an important part in connecting the partner institutions. In April 2001, it became known as the UHI Millennium Institute, following the Scottish Parliament awarding Higher Education Institute status. By 2004 full-time deans had been appointed to its three faculties, with experienced figures having been attracted from other academic bodies. University degrees were authenticated by the Open University Validation Service, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Aberdeen until 2008 when the UHI was given taught degree awarding powers (tDAP) by the Privy Council under recommendation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA); Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma courses are awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority. University status was awarded by the Privy Council in February 2011, and UHI became the University of the Highlands and Islands. The Princess Royal was officially installed as chancellor in June 2012. Clive Mulholland became principal and vice-chancellor in June 2014, after his appointment to this post was announced in February 2014. Anton Edwards, a marine physicist, took over as rector in June 2014. The university coat of arms has been designed to reflect important aspects of the university. A compass rose with a fleur de lys indicating north denotes the university's location and two open books symbolise learning. The 13 hazel leaves are to represent the university's partners, a tree associated with wisdom in Celtic and Norse tradition. It has an annual income of £137 million. The University organised into two faculties, the faculty of arts, humanities and business, and the faculty of science, health and engineering.