With the cost-of-living crisis continuing, we have produced a briefing for MSPs and others focusing on the steps being taken by universities across Scotland to support their students.
Tag: Ambition
Our response to the Scottish Government budget
Responding to today’s Scottish Government budget for 2023-24, Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland said: “The tough financial climate facing Scottish Government is clear for all to see. In that context, we welcome the fact that it has been possible to make a modest 1% cash increase in university funding, worth an extra £12.7 million….
Universities Scotland welcome additional research funding
Universities Scotland has welcomed news of an additional £24.6m of research funding to Scotland’s universities. It follows calls from Universities Scotland to ensure the package of support to universities announced by Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on 21 November would reach Scotland’s universities. Elements of the earlier UK Government announcement were intended to…
University dedication to widening access continues to reap results
We are welcoming new figures that show more people from disadvantaged areas in Scotland are applying and being accepted into university. The figures come from UK’s shared admissions service for higher education, UCAS, who have released its data resources for the end of the 2022 application cycle. The figures show that the number of applications…
The economic impact of Scotland’s university research activity
We commissioned London Economics in 2022 to assess the economic and social impact of research
activities delivered by Scottish higher education institutions on the United Kingdom economy,
focusing on the 2019-20 academic year.
Cuts to international student numbers should be resisted
Commenting on speculation that the UK Government may look to cut international student numbers, Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland said: “Any attempts to cut international student numbers at Scottish universities would be damaging to universities and the Scottish economy. Every year more than 65,000 students from more than 180 countries study in Scotland. This…
Actions required to maintain momentum towards the 2030 access targets for Scotland
Dr Kirsty Conlon, our Head of Learning and Teaching and Widening Access Policy shares her thoughts on what steps the soon to be announced Commissioner for Fair Access should be prioritising. A shorter version of this blog appeared on Wonkhe. Universities in Scotland are expecting an announcement on who will be the next Commissioner for…
Government must ensure universities receive research funding
Universities Scotland have welcomed a UK Government announcement for additional funding to support the international collaborations and competitiveness of UK research, as a result of delays to the UK’s association to the Horizon Europe programme. This funding can directly support research and wider economic growth in Scotland if the extra funding is ring-fenced for research…
Scotland’s universities and the constitution: policy issues for consideration
The constitution has been a prominent feature of policy discussion in Scotland for some time and continues to be so. Whatever Scotland’s future, universities will be fundamental to Scotland’s people and economy. Universities will continue to educate a significant proportion of the population, equipping them with the skills they will need for their careers and…
Sir Ian Wood: Major risk to the Scottish economy if funding for our university students continues to be reduced
We are delighted to have Sir Ian Wood, businessman, philanthropist and Chairman of JW Holdings Limited write for Universities Scotland about the importance of universities to the Scottish economy. This is a longer-version of a column Sir Ian wrote for The Times. As it is, our universities funding has followed real term decline since 2014/25 leaving…