UHI BSc in optometry gains full GOC approval

The University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) undergraduate degree in optometry has gained full approval from the General Optical Council (GOC).

The BSc (Hons) Optometry qualification, which launched in 2019, has been approved under the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Handbook: Routes to Registration in Optometry (2015).

The university will now work to adapt the qualification to meet the GOC’s updated education and training requirements, which came into effect in 2021. 

Alison MacPherson, programme lead at UHI, said: “UHI are delighted to have achieved this significant milestone.”

MacPherson thanked staff and students “who have been on this exciting journey with us,” and acknowledged the support of external stakeholders.

“Being the second provider of optometry undergraduate education in Scotland is a real privilege,” she said.

The optometry course at UHI was introduced to address workforce shortages in Scotland. OT heard how the programme has connected students with rural and remote employers as part of its feature: Eye care, everywhere.