This Order designates The Scottish Agricultural College as an institution of higher education for the purpose of Part II of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992. It also removes the recognition of The Scottish Agricultural College as a central institution for the purpose of section 135(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 by revoking the Central Institutions (Recognition) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 1990 (S.I.1990/2386).

Designation of The Scottish Agricultural College as an institution of higher education has been granted by the Scottish Ministers following a designation audit by the UK Universities' Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education based on a set of criteria in relation to quality set out by the Scottish Government. The audit found that The Scottish Agricultural College satisfied all the criteria.