Our Director, Alastair Sim, reflects on the Augar Review of post-18 education and funding and what the recommendations mean for the Scottish higher education sector. Scottish university leaders have been waiting for the Augar Review with some anxiety. Their interest is much greater than you would expect from the Review’s very brief reference to devolved…
Tag: Funding
Augar Review recommendations: Any changes in fees in England has implications for Scotland
Responding to the publication of Theresa May’s review of post-18 education and funding (the ‘Augar review’), Universities Scotland is calling on the government and next prime minister to consider fully the potential consequences of the recommendations for universities and students in the devolved nations. Commenting on the report, Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland, said:…
Universities Scotland submission to consultation on a Workplace Parking Levy
Universities Scotland has submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee to inform its inquiry into the Workplace Parking Levy (WPL). The Committee has invited views on the policy as part of their consideration of the Transport (Scotland) Bill, which contains amendments proposing the introduction of a WPL. Our submission recognises that…
Submission to Funding of EU Structural Fund Priorities in Scotland, post-Brexit
Universities Scotland have submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee’s inquiry into the Funding of EU Structural Fund Priorities in Scotland, post-Brexit. Structural funds from the European Union have been important for universities in Scotland. After Brexit, there will be a need to replace structural funds. The UK Government is due to…
University funding: the view from Austria
We are delighted to have a guest blog from Elisabeth Fiorioli, the Secretary General of uniko Österreichische Univeristätenkonferenz (Universities Austria). Austria was identified by the latest European Universities Association observatory report to be a system showing signs of growing investment in their universities. Universities Scotland remains concerned about the lack of sustainable funding for the…
Universities issue call to action as report warns Scotland’s universities are a “declining system under pressure”
A new report published today [Thursday 21st March] by the European Universities Association (EUA) has categorised Scotland’s university sector as “a declining system under pressure” based on the pace of funding cuts over the long-term. The latest Public Funding Observatory Report 2018 compares the level of public resource invested in universities in countries across Europe….
Briefing for Scottish Government Statement: Update on the Impact of Brexit on the Scottish Further and Higher Education Sectors
On Thursday 14 March 2019, the Scottish Government provided the Scottish Parliament with an update statement on the impact of Brexit on Scotland’s Further and Higher Education sectors. We took the opportunity to brief MSPs on our concerns as well as actions that could be taken by the UK and Scottish Governments to mitigate the…
University funding cuts deeper than expected for half of institutions
The Scottish Funding Council has today (Thursday, 28 February) announced its indicative funding allocations for universities for academic year 2019/20. This is the first time funding allocations have been published for individual institutions following the Scottish Government’s budget announcement on 12 December 2018, which announced a real terms cut of 1.79 per cent to the…
Draft Scottish Government Budget 2019-20
On Wednesday 16 January, the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee will take evidence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney on the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget for 2019-20. We provided evidence to the Committee about our concerns related to the budget as currently drafted which we believe…
Universities Scotland comment on the Scottish Government draft budget for 2019-20
Universities Scotland has responded to today’s draft budget announcement for 2019-20 from the Scottish Government. The settlement means a real terms cut for university funding, relative to 2018-19. Professor Andrea Nolan, Convener of Universities Scotland, said: “It’s very difficult to learn that funding for universities is going to drop in real terms by 1.79 per…