Briefings & Evidence

Universities Scotland has submitted its response to the Scottish Funding Council’s Knowledge Transfer Grant (KTG) consultation SFC/CN/02/2015. The KTG currently supports outward-facing activity to enable universities to deliver economic, cultural and social impact. The flexibility of the current KTG has been an important feature to allow universities to pursue this impact in the unique context…

Our submission, and the oral evidence we provided to the Committee on 24 November 2015, emphasised the importance of a fair and easily understandable system of student support. The evidence on the link between fees, student support and widening access is complex. It is certain that the move to increase tuition fees to up to £9,000 in…

This consultation response is informed by contributions from member institutions through discussion and written comments from Learning and Teaching Committee, Teaching Quality Forum and discussion at Universities Scotland Main Committee. The response was approved for submission by Universities Scotland Main Committee on 27 January 2015. The response is intended to provide constructive criticism to existing…

This submission is in response to the second tranche of MAC’s consultation review of Tier 2 due to be completed by December 2015. Universities Scotland’s submission to this tranche focusses primarily on the uncompetitive position that the proposed changes to Tier 2 would create for Scottish, and UK, universities and the adverse economic impact of…

HEFCE’s quality review for England, Wales and Northern Ireland has potentially significant knock-on consequences for higher education institutions in Scotland in relation to regulation, comparability within the UK and the sector’s reputation. This submission sets out the specific strengths of the Scottish model of quality enhancement in our teaching and highlights our concerns in relation to…

Universities Scotland has submitted written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee to be considered as part of its scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s Higher Education (Governance) Scotland Bill. The written evidence notes that Scotland’s universities share the Scottish Government’s commitment to modern, inclusive and accountable higher education governance, and that higher education governance…

Universities Scotland has provided written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee as part of its examination of the spending decisions made, and outcomes delivered, by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The response was made ahead of an oral evidence session in the Scottish Parliament with SFC managers on 29 September 2015. Our written…

Universities Scotland has submitted written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee as part of its scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill Financial Memorandum (FM). Universities Scotland has concerns that the Financial Memorandum contains underestimates of costs facing higher education institutions (HEIs) as a result of the Bill’s provisions. However, our…

The Scottish Funding Council consultation looked at a Gender Action Plan relating to gender imbalances amongst students on certain courses. Universities are committed to fair and equal access to all higher education courses and are actively involved in a number of initiatives to make certain courses more appealing to underrepresented students. Universities Scotland first shared…

We have responded to the call for evidence by the Scottish Government’s Commission on Widening Access issued on 23 June 2015. We welcome the Commission on Widening Access and are fully supportive of the work it is taking forward. We particularly welcome the opportunity it creates for Scotland to take a truly holistic and joined-up…