News

Universities Scotland welcomes the draft publication of a new code of good governance for Scotland’s 19 higher education institutions today [16 April], describing it as a progressive code which would set Scotland’s universities at the leading edge of accountable governance amongst all of Europe. Key measures within the new draft code include: New measures to…

Widening access beyond socio-economic status Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland said: “Universities take a broad approach to widening access which focuses on addressing under-representation of all kinds including the participation of students with disabilities and care leavers alongside those from less advantaged socio-economic groups. Universities will continue to approach their role in widening access…

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has today, Wednesday 21 March, published a data set of performance indicators for entrants to university from state schools and from social classes NS-SEC 4,5,6 and 7 in academic year 201/12. However, the time-lag on today’s data means that it cannot record the impact of a range of significant…

Figures published today (Wednesday 30 January) by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show that the number of applicants to Scotland’s universities by the 15 January deadline is up for home, rest of UK (RUK) and international students. The applicant figures to Scottish universities show: The number of Scottish domiciled applicants is up 2.1%,…

Universities Scotland today [Tuesday, 18 December] welcomed the creation of 1,700 extra undergraduate places at university as a significant boost to widening access. The places, which have been created specifically to support widening access, have been created to encourage a wider diversity of applicant to university and will be available for entrants in autumn 2013….

Universities Scotland has expressed its concerns over the announcement made by the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Theresa May MP in a speech delivered today (Wednesday, 12 December) that the UK Government intends to radically extend the UK Border Agency’s interview programme for international students coming to study in the UK. Universities Scotland’s Director, Alastair…

The Scottish Funding Council has today [Friday 7 December] published the full set of 19 university outcome agreements, agreed between universities and the Scottish Funding Council for academic year 2012/13 onwards. The outcome agreements see universities set out their ambitions to deliver more across a number of areas of activity including widening access to students…

Universities Scotland responded to the Post-16 Education (Scotland) Bill, as published in the Scottish Parliament today [Wednesday 28 November], commenting that the Bill’s broad principles align with university values but that the detail of the provisions will require careful consideration. The Bill applies to both the further and higher education sectors and many of the…

Commenting ahead of the publication of Outcome Agreements 2012/13, a Universities Scotland spokesperson said:   “Through their outcome agreements universities demonstrate the impact from Scotland’s public investment in higher education. The agreements show that all of Scotland’s universities either have, or will look to introduce, some form of contextualised admissions that takes account of an…

Responding to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012-13 published today (Thursday 4 October) Universities Scotland’s Director, Alastair Sim said:   “With four Scottish universities in the world’s top 200, we welcome today’s recognition of the strength of Scotland’s higher education sector in the Times Higher Education 2012-13 World University Rankings. It is clear…