Singer aims to catch the wind with a hippy university

From Trainspotting tours to the Royal Yacht Britannia, nobody could accuse Edinburgh’s waterfront of lacking in variety.

Now one corner of the area is set to go a shade of “mellow yellow”, as Scottish folk singer Donovan looks to build his new “Invincible University”.

The star revealed he will found the £?5 million institution in the Capital after ruling out two other sites, including one in his home city of Glasgow.

Donovan - who had hits with Mellow Yellow and Sunshine Superman – had the idea for a “far out” university during the hippy era’s heyday in the 1960s.

The aims of the institution will be to bring enlightenment to Scotland’s young people and create world peace.

Donovan, 61, will be supported by American filmmaker David Lynch, the creator of cult classics including Twin Peaks, who will sit on the university’s steering group.

Waterfront Edinburgh chief executive Colin Hunter today revealed talks had taken place with Donovan’s representatives, although no final site has yet been chosen.

Donovan said: “I am coming to Scotland later this month to continue the Invincible Donovan University that I will build in Scotland. It looks like it is in Edinburgh. I wondered what Glasgow would think of that because I am a boy from Glasgow and I am building my university in Edinburgh.

“But I think it is a beautiful development area that is happening on the waterside.”

He added: “It looks like the development of that area along the waterside there is very positive towards the university.”

Mr Hunter said Waterfront Edinburgh was contacted by the singer’s representatives about a month ago.

He said: “We had an exploratory meeting so I could understand what they were looking for. They wanted to know if we had any sites that we could identify for them.

“We would like to know more details, but it does not sound like something we would be against if we could find a site suitable.”

He added: “No site has been identified yet. We do have sites available but whether they would be suitable for a university would require further discussions.”

Donovan said he had the idea 40 years ago when he was learning transcendental meditation techniques in India with the Beatles.

He became a follower of the guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who died this month aged 91.

The Invincible Donovan University will offer conventional subjects and qualifications but with meditation to boost learning, culture, the arts and wellbeing.

It is based on similar “consciousness-based education” methods used at the Maharishi Central University in America and at schools around the world, funded through a foundation run by Lynch, who appointed Donovan as musical director. Organisers hope the institution will attract up to 1000 students.

Councillor Allan Jackson, who represents the Forth ward, admitted he was more familiar with Donovan’s hits than his educational aspirations, but was interested in the proposals.

“If Donovan has the backing to set this up it would certainly be worth a look,” he said.

“I’m of an age that I can remember him for his hits such as Mellow Yellow and Catch The Wind. Let’s see what he comes up with. It might be something to benefit that end of the city and Edinburgh in general.”

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