Over the weekend, Universities Scotland’s International team, Ela Kossakowska and Dr David Donaldson attended L’Etudiant Study Abroad Fair in Paris, representing the Scottish higher education sector. They have shared insights into the successful Fair and highlighted the importance of international partnerships and students for Scotland. With the eyes of Scotland focussed on Paris on Saturday,…
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Increasing number of Scottish university students from deprived backgrounds requires a change in how deprivation is defined
Dr Kirsty Conlon, Head of Learning, Teaching and Widening Access has shared her thoughts in The Scotsman on the journey that Scottish universities will take to achieve the 2030 target of 20% of all students entering university will come from the nation’s 20% most deprived areas. She also outlines the challenges that will be faced…
Scotland and Europe still have a shared desire for student exchanges
Last week, Universities Scotland’s international team met with MEPs and universities in Edinburgh to discuss mobility options and other links in a post-Brexit world. Our colleagues, David Donaldson and Ela Kossakowska reflect on the visit. “Getting 27 nations to agree on anything can be difficult, so the fact they all agree on the importance of…
Professor Iain Gillespie reinforces the links between education and innovation
Writing for Thunderer today, Professor Iain Gillespie, Principal of the University of Dundee has set out his views on the links between education and innovation. This follows the publication of the Scottish Government’s Innovation Strategy and independent review of the skills landscape. Last week the Scottish Government received two major reports that promise to shake-up…
AI in higher education – friend or foe?
The topic of Artifical Intelligence has been of huge interest in the early months of 2023. Our latest blog sees Abertay University Principal, Professor Liz Bacon, discuss the role AI could have in higher education reflecting on her decades of work in this area. With the disruption navigated by our universities during Covid-19 thankfully beginning to…
Horizon membership: a deal that works for Scotland, the UK and EU
Professor Iain Gillespie is the Convener of our Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee and Principal at the University of Dundee. In an opinion piece for The Herald which ran in its Monday 17 April 2023 edition, he outlines why it’s imperative a deal to secure Horizon membership for the UK is vital. Last month week…
Students and skills: Doing Things Different and Better
Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland has shared his thoughts on the skills landscape and the importance of the skills students learn while at university. Let’s re-set the skills policy agenda by appreciating students’ diversity and ambitions, and the breadth of universities’ contribution to that. I get huge inspiration from meeting students as I visit…
Time to lose the labels
Words are so important: they can motivate, inspire and explain. Yet words can also build barriers. In our latest blog, Claudia Cavalluzzo, Executive Director of Converge, argues that the label ‘entrepreneur’ is one such barrier and that it’s time for an update. Every government – including Scotland – wants more entrepreneurs in their economy. They…
What next for research in post-Sturgeon Scotland?
Professor Iain Gillespie, Principal of the University of Dundee and our Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee Convener penned some thoughts for Research Professional about what should happen in research under a new First Minister following Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to resign as First Minister. Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation as First Minister is one of those points in…
Susana Galván Hernández on Taith
Susana Galván Hernández, Executive Director of Taith has written about Taith, Wales’ new international learning exchange programme. Susana has shared her thoughts on the importance of a student mobility scheme like Taith and the journey it has taken so far. Universities Scotland want to see the Scottish Government introduce a two-way student mobility scheme very…