Responding to the final report from the Commission for Fair Access, Sir Peter Scott, Director of Universities Scotland, Alastair Sim said:
“Scotland’s universities have achieved a lot when it comes to widening access in recent years. As a sector, we have introduced the most progressive admissions policies for students in the UK and have reached the key data milestones set for us, meaning we are on track to meet the First Minister’s hugely ambitious 2030 goals.
“We know the job is not done yet and the challenge is only likely to get harder from this point on given the legacy of lost learning due to the pandemic and the greater financial challenges facing many families. However, no one can doubt universities’ commitment and action to progress social mobility.
“Our thanks to Sir Peter for his time as Fair Access Commissioner and for the analysis and challenge he provided. We look forward to a seamless engagement with the next Commissioner. At the top of their inbox is the need to embrace the holistic thinking and the connection to attainment levels in schools that will be essential to propel further change of this magnitude. The new Commissioner will need to overcome the bureaucratic obstacles that have frustrated progress in some areas, including better access to data and making receipt of free school meals a fully-recognised metric for access which will help universities to target support.”