Figures released today by the Scottish Funding Council [Wednesday 25 March] in its ninth Learning for All report show increases in the number of students starting university from across a wide range of under-represented groups including: students living in Scotland’s most deprived 20 and 40 per cent of neighbourhoods – up 10.1 per cent and…
News
March
25
2015
Alastair Sim: Life as an academic
Scotland’s higher education sector already has it right on democratic approach to management/union relations, writes Alastair Sim. I was surprised to read the results of a YouGov poll last month that found more people across Britain wanted to be a university academic than a TV presenter, interior designer or Hollywood star. The role of academic was…
March
17
2015
Scotland’s universities welcome appointment of Chair to Widening Access Commission
Scotland’s universities welcome appointment of Chair to Widening Access Commission Universities Scotland has today, Tuesday 17 March, warmly welcomed the announcement of Dame Ruth Silver’s appointment to Chair the Scottish Government’s Commission on Widening Access. Scotland’s universities are committed to widening access to university for every single child with the desire and ability, no matter…
March
06
2015
Memorandum of Understanding signed between Scottish and Korean universities
Today, Wednesday 6 March, universities in Scotland and South Korea will sign a memorandum of understanding to foster closer academic ties between the two countries. The formal agreement is to be signed by the representative bodies of universities in both countries; Universities Scotland and the Korean Council for University Education at an event hosted by…
March
06
2015
Cuts to university research funding see Scotland’s “world class” universities as victims of their own success
Allocations of the Scottish Funding Council’s main research grants for higher education institutions were announced today (6 March). The announcement confirms a much-feared cut of £12.9 million to funds available for university research next year. Several individual universities will lose millions in funding despite returning their strongest performance in “world-leading” research as confirmed by the…
February
03
2015
Universities Scotland’s response to the Scottish Government’s Consultation on a Higher Education Governance Bill
Universities Scotland has today, Tuesday 3 February, published its response to the Scottish Government’s university governance consultation. You can read the response in full here. Professor Pete Downes, Convener of Universities Scotland, has commented on a number of aspects of the university governance consultation: University autonomy and diversity “Principals believe in inclusive, transparent and robustly accountable…
December
18
2014
Much to toast in the research record of our universities
It’s a big day for thousands of Scotland’s academics. It’s also a big day for Scotland. For the first time since 2008, all the best academic research in the UK has been independently evaluated. Scotland has performed outstandingly well with over three-quarters of all research submitted judged as being world-leading or internationally excellent. This is…
December
18
2014
UK research assessment finds Scotland’s higher education sector is ‘world-class’ and delivering outstanding impact
Today (Thursday 18 December) sees the publication of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 results for all 154 higher education institutions across the UK. Key findings for Scotland: Every one of Scotland’s 18* higher education institutions undertakes research judged to be of “world-leading” quality. The higher education sector in Scotland submitted research to all 36…
November
21
2014
Universities Scotland responds to Scottish Government Cabinet reshuffle
Responding to the news of the Scottish Government Cabinet reshuffle which sees Angela Constance MSP replace Michael Russell in the role of Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Pete Downes, Convener of Universities Scotland said: “We look forward to working with Angela Constance in the role of Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning….
November
17
2014
Universities and business unite in call for Smith Commission to seize the opportunity to craft an immigration policy that meets Scotland’s needs
Scotland’s universities and business leaders have united together in calling upon the Smith Commission to seize the opportunity and ensure that partial devolution of immigration policy is included as an additional power for Scotland in the Heads of Agreement to be reached by the end of this month. The staff, students and principals at Scotland’s…