News

The latest figures for Higher education student enrolment and qualifications obtained at higher education providers in the United Kingdom 2015/16 have been released by HESA. The total number of enrolments at higher education institutes in Scotland was 235,565 in 2015/16, a 1% increase from 2014/15 for both undergraduate and postgraduate enrolment. The enrolment of UK…

Universities Scotland is delighted to announce the three leading Principals will develop the next stage of the widening access agenda as delivered by the university sector. • Work on Admissions will be led by Professor Sally Mapstone, Principal of University of St Andrews • Work on Articulation will be led by Susan Stewart, Director of…

The Convener of Universities Scotland has called on the UK Government to help promote, not punish, universities’ role in exporting internationally ahead of a consultation on international students expected early in the New Year. Figures show that the value of international exports from Scotland’s university sector stand at £444 million based on the direct fee…

Universities Scotland has responded to the publication of Scotland’s Place in Europe, the Scottish Government’s position following the result of the EU referendum, as released earlier today. Commenting on the paper, Professor Andrea Nolan, Convener of Universities Scotland and Principal of Edinburgh Napier University said: “Higher education transcends borders. Our relationships with Europe, European universities…

Responding to news that Professor Peter Scott has been appointed by the Scottish Government as the first ever Commissioner on Fair Access, Universities Scotland Convener, Professor Andrea Nolan said: “We are delighted to welcome Professor Scott as the Commissioner for Fair Access. It is an important appointment and we look forward to working closely with…

The Scottish Government published its budget for 2017/18 today. The budget outlines a resource settlement of £1,013.9 million for higher education. Responding to the Scottish Government’s budget for higher education resource in 2017/18, Professor Andrea Nolan, Convener of Universities Scotland said: “We recognise that the Scottish Government has tried to offer protection of higher education…

Professor Andrea Nolan, Convener of Universities Scotland, has called on the Scotland Office today (Wednesday 14 December) to work with Scottish higher education to make a case to the UK Government that positive change is needed to immigration policy to ensure that international talent can come to study in Scotland’s universities and remain after graduation…

The following joint statement was issued by NUS Scotland, UCU Scotland and Universities Scotland prior to Wednesday’s (7th December) Education and Skills Committee meeting at the Scottish Parliament concerning the Enterprise and Skills Review with Keith Brown, the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work. This statement should not be seen as the…

Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland, has told members of the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee today that the ‘underlying risks’ highlighted by the Auditor General’s report into higher education funding are now crystalising following 12 per cent cuts to universities’ overall funding since 2010/11. Alastair Sim was giving evidence to Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee…

The Scottish Government published the phase 1 report of its Enterprise and Skills review on Tuesday 25 October. The recommendations include the creation of a new enterprise body for the South of Scotland and a new Scotland-wide board to sit above the existing agencies. No change is proposed for the Scottish Funding Council although the…