Boab Thomson is a Public Affairs & Communications Executive at Universities Scotland. After the publication of the party manifestos ahead of May’s 2021 Scottish Parliament elections, Boab looks at what each party has to say about higher education and what that might mean for the sector in the next session of Parliament. Without stating the…
Tag: Ambition
Universities Scotland manifesto ‘asks’ for 2021 Scottish Parliament election
Ahead of the Scottish Parliament election on 6 May 2021, Universities Scotland has prepared a briefing outlining the higher education policies we’re seeking support for in political parties’ manifestos and from the next Scottish Government. Our five key asks are: Increase the amount invested in teaching and wider student support for each Scottish domiciled undergraduate…
Universities Scotland response to SFC publication of additional and indicative funding allocations
Responding to the publication of the Scottish Funding Council’s additional funding allocations for 2020/21 and indicative allocations for 2021/22, Universities Scotland Director Alastair Sim said: “Universities welcome the increased resources allocated today by the Scottish Funding Council. The additional funding for 2020/21 is recognition of the work universities have done to support students through the pandemic….
Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, Public Accounts Committee inquiry
Universities Scotland responded to the UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee inquiry on the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). In our submission reflected the importance UK-wide of the ISCF and the implications for its application in Scotland. In our submission we highlight: Communication issues surrounding submissions; Collaborations being heavily focused on corporations not SMEs; Scotland only…
New widening access data a cause for celebration in Scotland
Universities in Scotland have reached a significant milestone in their commitment to widen access, with the latest figures showing 16.4% of students were from SIMD20 backgrounds in the academic year 2019/20. The Commission on Widening Access recommended that 16% of students should be from SIMD20 backgrounds by 2021 with an overall aim to reach 20%…
Students and universities urge Scottish Government to follow Wales on twin-track support package to get through COVID
Scotland’s student and university leaders have joined together to commend the Welsh Government on its twin-track approach to supporting higher education students and institutions through the COVID crisis. This comes on the day that the Welsh Government announces a new package of £40 million available to support students facing financial hardship. The Welsh Government has…
Inconclusive Spending Review makes January budget critical for Scottish HE
The UK Government Spending Review announced on Wednesday (25 November 2020) has made January’s Scottish Government budget a critical event for Scottish higher education. The Scottish block grant will increase by an additional £2.4bn in 2021/22 as a result of core and COVID-19 expenditure. Within UK Government spending priorities, an extra £400 million expenditure per…
Briefing ahead of Ministerial Statement: An Update on the Impact of EU Exit on Scotland’s Further and Higher Education Sectors
On 29 October 2020, the Scottish Parliament heard from the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Richard Lochhead MSP about the impact of Brexit on the further and higher education sectors. To help inform MSPs in their questioning of the Minister after the statement, we prepared a briefing focusing on the two main…
Universities Scotland responds to the Scottish Government’s new Inward Investment Plan
Responding to the publication of Shaping Scotland’s Economy, Alastair Sim, Universities Scotland Director, said: “We’re pleased to see the report recognise higher education’s important role in attracting inward investment into Scotland. Bar London, Scotland has been the top performing nation or region of the UK in attracting inward investment for each of the past seven years and…