The Finance Secretary, Derek Mackay, has announced a revenue budget for higher education institutions of £1,024.9 million in 2018/19 which is a 1.1 per cent increase in higher education revenue spending, compared to the previous year. This increase to the revenue budget should enable the real terms protection of universities’ Teaching Grant, which was our…
News
December
13
2017
Our response to latest Report from the Commissioner for Fair Access
The Commissioner for Fair Access has published his first annual report this morning (13 December 2017). The Commissioner’s first annual report on access is both challenging, interesting and useful. We’d expect nothing less. Universities will give his set of 23 new recommendations urgent and full consideration. On first sight, there appears to be lots…
December
08
2017
Universities launch campaign to promote the real value of the Teaching Grant
Scotland’s 19 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have today launched a campaign, ahead of the Scottish Government’s budget next week, highlighting the importance of the higher education Teaching Grant. The positive campaign, the real value of T, raises awareness and understanding of the importance of the higher education Teaching Grant through the stories of ten staff,…
December
04
2017
Scholarships worth a total of £6 million available to students from India
Students from India studying in Scotland have access to more than £6million in international scholarships with over £1million ringfenced to specifically attract outstanding Indian students, Universities Scotland has revealed. As a delegation of Scotland’s higher education leaders accompany Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney on an official visit to India, Universities Scotland can…
December
04
2017
Building partnerships between India and Scotland
Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland: “What a privilege to be in Mumbai to showcase the best of Scottish universities and build new partnerships between Scotland and India. “I’m out here with university leaders and the Deputy First Minister. The most exciting thing for me is how everything we’ve showcased has been about partnerships to…
December
01
2017
Scotland’s Universities Welcome India
A delegation of 21 senior leaders from Scotland’s higher education sector are accompanying Deputy First Minister John Swinney on an official visit to India today, December 1 2017. The mission, a joint venture between the Scottish Government, British Council, Scottish Development International and Universities Scotland, will meet with key Indian government officials, education policymakers and business…
November
13
2017
Emboldened to deliver more on access to HE
Big challenges require bold action. One of Scotland’s biggest challenges is the need to address the inequality that exists in our society and in our education sector. Whoever we are, we all have an interest in ensuring that our future is rid of the shameful statistic that by the time a child reaches five, there…
November
13
2017
A collective effort is needed to help people realise their potential
I’m delighted that we’re publishing Working to Widen Access. I believe passionately that higher education should be open to everyone who has the talent to benefit. I also believe that talent is distributed across the population, regardless of privilege. As a society, I believe we can and must be committed to achieving equality of opportunity,…
October
27
2017
Brexit and beyond: prospects for EU nationals working at Scottish universities
Earlier this month, Universities Scotland hosted an event in Westminster to talk about the value and importance of EU staff working in our intuitions. The event was an opportunity for Universities Scotland to discuss what we perceive as the priorities from Brexit negotiations in order to secure a good deal for our community of EU…
October
26
2017
Response to Sutton Trust report: Admissions in Context
Universities Scotland has responded to the publication of the Sutton Trust’s report, Admissions in Context. The report provides new evidence on the use of ‘contextualised’ admissions and offers some insights into the difference that greater use of contextual data might make to the numbers of disadvantaged students at these universities. Commenting on the report, Universities Scotland Director,…