Universities Scotland is seeking a new Director. Alastair Sim, the current Director, is leaving Universities Scotland (US) after 14 years’ of outstanding service. Responding to Alastair’s planned departure in 2024, Professor Iain Gillespie, Convener of Universities Scotland and the Principal of the University of Dundee, said: “Alastair has given an astonishing amount of commitment to Universities…
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International collaboration to continue under Horizon Europe deal
Universities Scotland “delighted” by UK’s return to Horizon Europe Universities Scotland have welcomed today’s announcement that the UK will associate to the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes for the remainder of this programme (until 2027). Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. Over the…
84% of Scottish graduates say going to university got them the job they wanted
Research from Universities Scotland highlights the value of going to university, including that: 84.5% of Scottish graduates credit their university with helping them gain employment 74% of Scottish graduates found a job reflective of their ambitions in under a year thanks to their degree 75% of business leaders believe going to university enables graduates to…
Widening access success as record number of students enter university
Interim targets on widening access met Increased numbers of widening access, care experienced and disabled students entering university An increase in the proportion of students coming to university from college Universities Scotland has welcomed the release of the Report on Widening Access 2021-22 by the Scottish Funding Council. Commenting on the report, Alastair Sim, Director…
Principals welcome progress on association to Horizon Europe and urge the Prime Minister to bring back a deal
Three leading Principals of Scotland’s universities have written jointly to the Prime Minister to welcome his Government’s work to reach the final stages of a deal on the UK’s association to the Horizon Europe programme. Speculation has been growing that the Prime Minister is set to finalise a proposal over the weekend, to then be…
Publication of the Scottish Government’s Purpose and Principles
Today the Scottish Government has published its Purpose and Principles framework for building an excellent post-school education, research and skills ecosystem. Commenting on the framework, Sir Paul Grice, Vice Convener of Universities Scotland, said: “Universities will always support a learner-centered approach and are relentlessly focused on delivering for Scotland’s people and economy with a very…
Dundee Principal Professor Iain Gillespie elected Universities Scotland Convener
Universities Scotland, the representative organisation for Scotland’s 19 higher education institutions, is delighted to announce that Professor Iain Gillespie has been elected to the role of Convener for a period of two years, from 1 August 2023. Professor Gillespie is Principal & Vice Chancellor at the University of Dundee and was elected to the role…
Key role of universities set out in the Scottish National Innovation Strategy
Universities Scotland welcome the publication of the Scottish National Innovation Strategy by the Scottish Government. The strategy has been co-produced with partners across our country and overseen by a Steering Group co-chaired between Scottish Ministers and Sir Jim McDonald, Principal of the University of Strathclyde. The Strategy recognises the key role of universities in making…
Universities Scotland responds to the Withers review of skills landscape
Responding to Fit for the Future: developing a post-school learning system to fuel economic transformation, published by the Scottish Government on 7 June 2023, Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland said: “This is a bold report that seeks to tackle long-term challenges in the skills landscape head-on and proposes a major shake-up of Scotland’s structural…
More graduates in Scotland are reaching positive destinations
New figures released from the Graduate Outcomes Report for 2020/21 indicate that Scotland’s graduates are entering into more positive destinations than in previous years. According to the report published by HESA on 31 May, 92% of respondents had reached a positive destination within 15 months of graduation, which includes employment, further study, a mix of…