In response to the written ministerial statement issued a short time ago by the Home Office, Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland said: “After months of speculation, we have clarity from the UK Government. We welcome the commitment to retaining the post-study work visa which benefits both students and employers. It also helps retain talent…
Tag: Politics
Submission to the Education, Children & Young People Committee Budget 2023 to 2024 session
Universities Scotland is extremely disappointed by the Scottish Government’s decision to withdraw £20 million of resource funding allocated to the higher education sector for financial year (FY) 2023/24 and to reverse aspects of the budget decision as supported by the Scottish Parliament in the Budget Bill (now Act) as passed on 21 February 2023.
£20m cut “extremely disappointing”
This afternoon (Tuesday 2 May), Principals of Scotland’s universities were informed by the Scottish Funding Council that the £20 million of additional resource funding allocated to the sector in December’s budget by the Scottish Government is now “not available for distribution and has been identified as a necessary saving”. Universities were told that Scottish Government…
Horizon membership: a deal that works for Scotland, the UK and EU
Professor Iain Gillespie is the Convener of our Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee and Principal at the University of Dundee. In an opinion piece for The Herald which ran in its Monday 17 April 2023 edition, he outlines why it’s imperative a deal to secure Horizon membership for the UK is vital. Last month week…
Response to Scottish Funding Council indicative allocations
This afternoon (Thursday 13 April), the Scottish Funding Council published their Indicative university funding allocations AY 2023-24. This follows the passing of the Scottish Government Budget for 2023-24. Today’s indicative allocations set out the funding available to specific university grants for teaching, research and innovation and clarify the specific funding available to individual institutions for…
Response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on post-school education, research and skills: interim purpose and principles
We have welcomed the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Government’s post-school education, research and skills: interim purpose and principles exercise. We have engaged with the Scottish Government during the consultation phase, which closed on 24 March 2023, culminating in our formal response to their draft.
What next for research in post-Sturgeon Scotland?
Professor Iain Gillespie, Principal of the University of Dundee and our Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee Convener penned some thoughts for Research Professional about what should happen in research under a new First Minister following Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to resign as First Minister. Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation as First Minister is one of those points in…
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…
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…