We are delighted to submit to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee on their inquiry into the sustainability of Scotland’s finances. This is ahead of our Director, Alastair Sim’s appearance at the Committee. Our submission highlights the ways in which universities are a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity in Scotland. We have…
Briefings & Evidence
Get in touch for more information on these, or any other, areas of activity
Brief on student accommodation: pressures & solutions
As the 2023/24 academic year begins, Universities Scotland has established a brief on the pressures and solutions on student accommodation at universities. This brief covers three different areas of work that Universities Scotland has undertook in preparation for this academic year. These areas are: Supporting students in a high-pressure market for accommodation Policy adjustments that…
Response to Petition2009: Ensure fair access to Scottish universities for all residents in Scotland and the UK
We welcome the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Parliament’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee regarding Petition2009: Ensure fair access to Scottish universities for all residents in Scotland and the UK. Universities Scotland believe that in aggregate across the sector, there are sufficient university places available to meet the aspirations of suitably qualified Scots-domiciled…
Response to Professor Hayward’s independent review of qualifications and assessments
We welcome the independent review of qualifications and assessment by Professor Hayward and have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to express our view on this review. Our response focuses on: the inclusion and equality of the report and how we see the addressing of the poverty related attainment gap as a…
Response to Petition2022: Introduce national safeguarding guidance on how higher education institutions should handle cases of sexual misconduct.
We welcome the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Parliament’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee regarding petition PE 2022: introduce national safeguarding guidance on how higher education institutions should handle cases of sexual misconduct. Universities are deeply committed to the prevention of gender-based violence, hate crimes and other acts of violence within a university…
Response to Independent review of the Skills landscape
We have published our letter from Professor Steve Olivier (Principal, Robert Gordon University & Convener of US Learning & Teaching Committee) to the Scottish Government with the thoughts of Universities Scotland in response to the Independent review of the Skills landscape published in June 2023. In the letter we highlight what we are pleased to…
Response to the Scottish Parliament’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee, Petition 2000: Ensure universities are held accountable to students under consumer law
We welcomed the opportunity to write to the Scottish Parliament’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee regarding Petition 2000: Ensure universities are held accountable to students under consumer law. Our response highlights our belief that the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) offers an effective route for complaints-handling in cases where a resolution has not first…
Child poverty and parental employment
Universities Scotland were invited by the Scottish Parliament’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee to give evidence on Thursday 15 June 2023 as part of the committee’s inquiry into child poverty and parental employment.
Erasmus+ and the replacement schemes in place across the UK
We were given the opportunity to provide evidence to the Education, Children and Young People Committee on their inquiry into Erasmus+ and the replacement schemes in place across the UK. In our evidence we highlight: Scotland’s students, staff and universities would benefit significantly from the introduction of a two-way mobility scheme in Scotland, that would complement…
Letter to Education, Children and Young People Committee following Ministerial appearance on 17 May 2023
Universities Scotland Director, Alastair Sim, has written to the Education, Children and Young People Committee following the evidence session given by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Graeme Dey MSP, on Wednesday 17 May.