On Tuesday 28 September 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, hosted a group discussion with university students to celebrate the higher education sector’s achievement of the interim widening access target set by the Scottish Government. Mitchell is a second-year student who applied to the University of St Andrews as a result of…
Tag: Widening access
Widening access: “Going to university is one of the best choices I’ve ever made”
On Tuesday 28 September 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, hosted a group discussion with university students to celebrate the higher education sector’s achievement of the interim widening access target set by the Scottish Government. Ryan, a Masters student at Heriot-Watt University, participated in the discussion and said that applying to…
University sector celebrates widening access progress with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, has met with university students to celebrate the higher education sector’s achievement of the interim widening access target set by the Scottish Government. Ms Somerville hosted a group discussion with students whose routes into university are considered non-traditional as a way of recognising the sector’s…
Universities Scotland respond to Results Day across the UK
Universities Scotland has welcomed the publication of exam results across the country in what has been a very challenging time for school and college learners. Today’s UCAS data show: An increase in the entry rate of Scottish domiciled 18-year-olds going to university at 28% (an increase from 26.4% in 2020). A 12% increase in Scottish-domiciled…
Universities Scotland welcomes SFC’s Report on Widening Access 2019-20
Universities Scotland have welcomed the publication of the Report on Widening Access 2019-20 by the sector’s funding body, the Scottish Funding Council. The report states that: 16.4% of full-time first-degree entrants to university were from an SIMD20 background. This is an increase from 15.9% in 2018-19. This means that universities have met the Commission on…
Getting Results: Addressing inequality in arts education must be a priority for the recovery
To mark a new report showcasing the role of Scottish universities in economic and social recovery, we’re publishing a series of blogs from Principals highlighting how higher education will deliver for Scotland over the next five years. Every day this week we’ll publish a blog from a Principal looking at a different area of contribution. The…
Department for Education’s post-qualification admissions consultation
Universities Scotland responded to the Department for Education’s consultation on post-qualification admissions. Our submission reflected the particular implications of the proposed admissions reform for Scottish learners and the Scottish university sector. In our submission we highlight: – Admissions reform must put the learner at the centre and make admissions fairer – Maintaining a centralised admissions…
UCAS data cause for assurance in value of Scottish higher education
New data released by the university admissions service UCAS serves as a cause for optimism in the Scottish higher education sector. The January Equal Consideration Deadline 2021 data, published by UCAS on Thursday 18 February, show: Positive widening access statistics. Continued increase in applicants from the most disadvantaged background with a 15% increase (1,100 people)…
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%…
Universities Scotland response to confirmation of funding from Scottish Government for additional 2020/21 entrants
Today [Friday 21 August], Mr Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, confirmed that the Scottish Government will fund the additional 2020/21 entrants to university for the duration of their four/five year degree. The Minister also helpfully acknowledged that the Scottish Government’s decision to revert to teacher-awarded grades would have implications…