We have taken the unprecedented step of increasing our 2025/26 budget ask of the Scottish Government. Since we submitted this in September, there have been two significant changes in our funding environment. Firstly, the announcement in the UK Government’s autumn budget that there would be an increase in employer National Insurance Contributions (ENIC) 2025/26. We have…
Tag: Funding
Academic year 2025/26: an increase in tuition fees and maintenance loans in England
On Monday 4 November, the Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson announced that tuition fees in England would increase by 3.1% from £9,250 to £9,535 in academic year 2025/26 and there will be an increase in maintenance loans, in line with inflation. Responding to this announcement, a spokesperson from Universities Scotland has said; “England…
Scotland’s universities still have another budget to contend with
With the UK Government’s budget now delivered, November sees a frenzied month of activity for the Scottish Government as it crunches numbers ahead of its own budget for 2025/26, to be announced on 4 December, writes Universities Scotland Director Claire McPherson. Spare a thought for Scotland’s universities, facing the prospect of all that pre-budget speculation…
Submission to Finance Committee: Managing Scotland’s Public Finances: A Strategic Approach
We have responded to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee’s consultation on Managing Scotland’s Public Finances: A Strategic Approach. Key elements in our response are: Universities Scotland advocates for Scottish Government to invest capital funding in universities’ research and innovation activities which boost economic growth for the collective benefit of Scotland. The enabling funding Scottish Government…
University students from underrepresented backgrounds highlight importance of the access agenda and the need to achieve the 2030 access goals
Universities Scotland, which represents Scotland’s 19 universities and higher education institutions, has today (Monday, 15 April) unveiled a new campaign on widening access, called “40 Faces”. The campaign gives a platform for 40 non-traditional students and graduates to share their experience of university and set out their perspectives on what is key to achieving Scotland’s…
We need a serious conversation on HE funding
Departing Universities Scotland after 15 years, Director Alastair Sim suggests there should be a serious conversation on funding that shares our national values, focusing on socially just solutions and holds common ground between the sector and government. As I leave Universities Scotland after 15 years as Director, I don’t want to focus on the past….
Increased research funding for Scottish Universities
The Minister for Higher Education and Further Education Graeme Dey has announced an additional £5.8 million to support research and innovation in Scotland’s universities, to be spent in financial year 2023/24. We warmly welcome this funding boost, which will support universities to continue to thrive in their world-leading research and the wider economic impact this…
Scottish Government budget outcomes: tough choices for universities
The Scottish Government’s 2024/25 budget, published on 19 December has indicated there will be £28.5 million of cuts to the university teaching grant. This leaves universities with tough choices to be made as funding continues to erode within the sector. Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland: “The budget outcome for universities means there’s a need…
2024/25 Scottish budget: submission to the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee
We have submitted a brief on the Scottish budget for 2024/25 to the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People’s Committee ahead of Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth’s appearance this week on the Scottish budget and post school reform. In our brief, we have highlighted the budgetary pressures the higher education sector…