Our Committees

We develop our funding and policy positions by working very closely with Principals and other senior staff in our higher education institutions.

Our policy committees cover three broad areas and meet regularly four or five times a year. They are led by two Principals in the role of chair and vice-chair and all of our 19 members are represented. The conveners are nominated by their peers for two years with the possibility of one re-election.

Our committees make recommendations on policy which pass to the Main Committee of all Principals to be discussed and decided upon.

We also have a number of smaller policy groups to focus on other issues. The membership of these groups can include Finance Directors, Head of Planning, Secretaries, Heads of External Affairs and others, depending on the group’s focus. They are always led by a Principal. Policy groups will always be representative of the sector’s diversity but not every university is necessarily a member.

Our three-year Strategic Plan for 2018-2021 outlines how we will help our members achieve their shared vision for higher education. The strategy is guided by four main themes: ambition; the common good; trust; and new ways of working. These priorities will shape what we deliver for members over the next three years.

Convener: Professor Steve Olivier, Principal of Robert Gordon University.

Vice Convener: Professor Liz Bacon, Principal of Abertay University.

Click here to view the Committee’s membership.

Current priorities:

• Collaborating to ensure the best possible recovery from COVID-19 and the best possible learning experience for students.
• Considering opportunities for greater flexibility in terms of accessing higher education and qualifications.
• Contributing to the development of graduate skills, green skills and related policy, including on upskilling/reskilling, the development of short courses and micro-credentials and employer engagement.
• Take account of UK quality and regulatory developments that may have implications for the Scottish sector.
• Responding to and informing Scottish Government policy impacting on learning and teaching UK-wide and Scotland specific as UK-wide issues impact quality in Scotland, such as the SFC’s Tertiary Review.

Convener: Professor Iain Gillespie, Principal of the University of Dundee.

Vice Convener: Professor Milan Radosavljevic, Vice-Principal, Innovation &
Engagement of the University of the West of Scotland.

Click here to view the Committee’s membership.

Current priorities:

• Representing the Scottish sector interests in the development and activities of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
• Developing Universities Scotland’s policy position on issues such as the SFC R&I Funding, Scottish Government’s Innovation Strategy, and the Future of the Research Excellence Framework.
• Maximising the opportunities of the UK 2.4% (of GDP being invested in R&D by 2027 ) Target in Scotland.
• Supporting the continuation of the UK’s Research and Innovation effort in fighting COVID-19 and assisting economic recovery.

Convener: Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal of Edinburgh Napier University.

Vice Convener: Professor Brad Mackay, Senior Vice Principal of the University of St Andrews.

Click here to view the Committee’s membership.

Current Priorities:

• Progressing the work of Connected Scotland which supports and promotes Scottish higher education internationally through annual events.
• Influencing and shaping the development of the new immigration system introduced in 2021 together with the recently launched two-year graduate post-study work visa.
• Working with members, UUK and the Scottish Government to set out the best possible options that maintain Scotland’s competitive offer, retain talent, and position the sector as the partner of choice.
• Working with members and the Scottish Government to create the first International Education Strategy for Scotland and as part of it, to support the development of a mobility scheme and the expansion of scholarships for international students.
• Undertaking activities and promotional campaigns to position and promote Scottish HE internationally through Scotland is Now – Study in Scotland.

Convener: Professor George Boyne, Principal of the University of Aberdeen.

Vice Convener: Ms Susan Stewart, Director of the Open University in Scotland.

Click here to view the Group’s membership.

Current Priorities:

• Optimising the funding available to higher education institutions in light of the austerity forecast in the Scottish Government’s Resource Spending Review.
• Long-term sustainable funding for the sector so that it can support both individual’s ambitions to learn and transformation of the economy.
• Responding to the outcomes of the SFC’s Review of Coherent Provision and Sustainability as it affects funding and accountability.
• Influencing the Scottish Government’s “reform” agenda to support the success of higher education institutions and enables continuation of quality in the challenging public funding climate.

Convener:  Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, Principal of the University of St Andrews as US Convener.

Vice Convener: Currently holding elections.

Click here to view the Committee’s membership.

Current Priorities:

The Committee is pursuing a three-year work plan (2021-2024), with an enhanced focus on addressing the sector’s contribution to climate emissions, this will stimulate, promote and highlight the sector’s pursuit of efficiency including:

• How changes to operations can support a just transition to net-zero, including recycling and upcycling creating a circular economy in IT.
• Further enhancement of shared services where these add value.
• Further development and usage of low carbon shared data centres.

Convener: Professor Nazira Karodia, Vice Principal (Learning and
Teaching) at Edinburgh Napier University.

Vice Convener: Shona Paul, Head of Professional and Continuing Education at Glasgow School of Art

Click here to view the Group’s membership.

Current Priorities:

• Leading on the sector’s work to widen access to higher education through university’s admissions policies.
• Enhancing transparency and consistency in admissions across the sector, consistent with the principles outlined in A guarantee of fairness.
• Continue to work closely with universities to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic through examinations and qualifications.
• Contributing to UK-wide developments in admissions policy and practice.

The Secretaries Group is not one of Universities Scotland’s Committees however Universities Scotland and the Secretaries Group have worked closely together for a number of years. The Secretaries Group is a professional network of staff with responsibility for effective governance and for management of professional services.

Convener: Dr Jim McGeorge, University Secretary, University of Dundee

Click here to view the Group’s membership.

Current Priorities:

• The Group considers sector governance and regulatory issues, sector-lead enhancement and responding to proposals for change from government.