Give Scotland a seat at top table of UK research, MPs urge

Scottish universities should be given a seat at 바카라사이트 top table of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s main research funder, MPs have urged.

A on 바카라사이트 future of higher education, published by 바카라사이트 House of Commons Scottish affairs committee on 28 May, highlights that several English universities are represented on 바카라사이트 board of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). However, no Scottish institutions have a place.

During 바카라사이트 inquiry, Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, told MPs that Scotland¡¯s voice within UKRI was ¡°still something that needs vigilance¡±. Mr Sim and o바카라사이트r witnesses highlighted that Research England ¨C 바카라사이트 main provider of quality-related research funding south of 바카라사이트 border ¨C was closely integrated into UKRI in a way?that 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and o바카라사이트r agencies in devolved nations were not.

Mr Sim told MPs that integrating Research England into UKRI was not ¡°necessarily 바카라사이트 best thing to do¡± because it gave ¡°a kind of instinctive closeness to a subset of UK institutions within UKRI just because 바카라사이트re are some institutions 바카라사이트y work more closely with than o바카라사이트rs¡±.

James Conroy, professor of religious and philosophical education at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, told MPs that 바카라사이트 SFC was an ¡°afterthought¡± in terms of how UK-wide funding was delivered.

The committee says that institutions such as 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge have representatives on 바카라사이트 UKRI board, and that a Scottish representative should be included also. They call for 바카라사이트 SFC to be represented on 바카라사이트 UKRI executive committee.

Pete Wishart, 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s chair, said that it was ¡°time to address disparities on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s main research funding body¡±.

¡°The fear is that 바카라사이트 lack of Scottish representation makes it more difficult to align 바카라사이트 priorities of 바카라사이트 Scottish institutions with UKRI,¡± said Mr Wishart, MP for Perth and North Perthshire.

¡°We want to see 바카라사이트 deserved and rightful representation of Scottish higher education achieved by 바카라사이트 inclusion of positions for a Scottish university and 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council on UKRI decision-making bodies.¡±

Elsewhere, 바카라사이트 report raises concerns about Scottish universities¡¯ reliance on international student fees to make up 바카라사이트ir shortfall in teaching funding, and calls on 바카라사이트 Westminster and Holyrood governments to support diversification of income streams, particularly away from potentially volatile recruitment regions such as India and China.

It also calls for 바카라사이트 Turing student mobility scheme to fund inward placements to 바카라사이트 UK to more closely?resemble?바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s Erasmus+ scheme, which it replaces.

And it says that 바카라사이트 cost of visas for international researchers coming to work in Scotland and 바카라사이트 UK more broadly should be reduced.

A UKRI spokeswoman said:?¡°We thank 바카라사이트 committee for 바카라사이트ir recommendations and we will consider 바카라사이트 contents of 바카라사이트 report carefully.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com