On Thursday 14 March 2019, the Scottish Government provided the Scottish Parliament with an update statement on the impact of Brexit on Scotland’s Further and Higher Education sectors. We took the opportunity to brief MSPs on our concerns as well as actions that could be taken by the UK and Scottish Governments to mitigate the…
Briefings & Evidence
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Universities Scotland responds to Knowledge Exchange Framework consultation
Universities Scotland has responded to a consultation on the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF). Research England consulted on the proposed design and implementation of the first iteration of the KEF, focused on metrics. This particularly focuses on the clustering of institutions for fair comparison, the metrics used to underpin the assessment and how the metrics are…
Universities Scotland submission to Education and Skills Committee inquiry into Subject choice
Universities Scotland have responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee inquiry into Subject choice. Our submission focuses on the work of the Learner Journey and the impact of Subject choice on the sector’s work on widening access. You can read our submission here.
Independent Review of Scottish Funding Council’s Research Pooling Initiative
The SFC’s pooling initiative was developed to support Scottish HEIs to establish collaborative research pools with the aim of growing critical mass of excellent research in Scotland. The pooling initiative will be reviewed by an independent panel. Universities Scotland responded to the call for evidence to highlight support for the pools amongst the sector and…
Draft Scottish Government Budget 2019-20
On Wednesday 16 January, the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee will take evidence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney on the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget for 2019-20. We provided evidence to the Committee about our concerns related to the budget as currently drafted which we believe…
Briefing for Scottish Government Debate: Safeguarding Scotland’s International Research Collaborations and Reputation for Scientific Excellence from the Threat of Brexit
On 7 November 2018, the Scottish Parliament held a Scottish Government Debate on Safeguarding Scotland’s International Research Collaborations and Reputation for Scientific Excellence from the Threat of Brexit. Higher education is one of several sectors that will be impacted highly by changes brought about after Brexit. Staff from within the EU make a tremendous contribution to…
REF 2021 consultation on the draft guidance and criteria
The four UK funding bodies are consulting on the detailed arrangements for the next Research Excellence Framework (REF), as set out in the draft guidance and criteria. Universities Scotland has responded to this consultation to: flag our concerns that the approach to staff circumstances could have negative equality and diversity implications; highlight the challenging timeframes…
Universities Scotland submission of evidence to Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee inquiry on Article 50: Preparedness
Universities Scotland has responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee inquiry into Article 50: Preparedness. Our submission focuses on the issues that would arise as a result of a ‘no deal’ Brexit and the implications of such an outcome on our membership. Read our consultation response here.
Universities Scotland response to Science and Technology Committee inquiry on balance and effectiveness of research and innovation spending.
Universities Scotland submitted evidence to the UK Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee inquiry on the balanced and effectiveness of research and innovation spending. Our submission highlights the importance of the UK wide dual support system, and ensuring Scottish HEIs are involved in the ongoing review of balanced funded. We have also highlighted the need for…
Universities Scotland response to Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee inquiry on Scottish Government Draft Budget 2019-20
Universities Scotland has responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee’s inquiry on the Scottish Government Draft Budget 2019-20. The inquiry asked about the role of enterprise agencies in supporting and growing good quality employment and the role of the apprenticeship levy. You can read our submission here.