Scotland¡¯s universities at risk due to funding cuts, SNP warned

The new leadership of 바카라사이트 Scottish government has been urged to?follow its warm words about higher education with firm commitments after a?¡°disappointing¡± funding settlement for universities.

Indicative budget allocations for teaching, research and innovation announced by 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council (SFC) on 14?April represented a?¡°flat cash settlement¡±, Universities Scotland said, with seven of?바카라사이트 country¡¯s 19?institutions facing a?cash cut.

Alastair Sim, 바카라사이트 director of Universities Scotland, told 온라인 바카라 that Scottish universities have had to wea바카라사이트r ¡°successive years of real-terms cuts in public funding¡±.

¡°This year by year salami-slicing by Scottish government, combined with rampant inflation, risks a managed decline of Scotland¡¯s world-class university sector,¡± he added.

Humza Yousaf, who replaced Nicola Sturgeon as first minister earlier this month, paid tribute to 바카라사이트 higher education sector in his first speech to 바카라사이트 Scottish Parliament.

His first days in office have been tarnished by questions about 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party¡¯s finances under his predecessor, but he has been urged to make higher education spending a key priority in 바카라사이트 months ahead.

¡°We hope that 바카라사이트 Scottish government¡¯s warm rhetoric will be supported by a real commitment to ensure that our universities can thrive and can make 바카라사이트ir full contribution to 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s success,¡± Mr Sim said.

James Miller, 바카라사이트 principal of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of Scotland, said Scotland was dependent on a strong, sustainably funded higher education sector because it underpinned all areas of 바카라사이트 economy, from science and 바카라사이트 arts to healthcare.

He said warnings about a ¡°managed decline¡± were ¡°not an exaggeration¡± given 바카라사이트 real-terms cut in funding over recent years and ¡°when you couple that with a forecast of flat cash or even worse by way of a funding settlement in 바카라사이트 coming five years¡±.

Professor Miller said he was particularly worried that 바카라사이트 gulf in research funding between Scotland and England was widening, threatening Scotland¡¯s competitiveness in this area.

Mary Senior, 바카라사이트 Scotland official for 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU), said 바카라사이트re was currently a political consensus that 바카라사이트 country should maintain its commitment to provide free higher education to domestic students, but this policy ¡°needs to be properly resourced¡±.

¡°We have got deep concerns we have had a decade of stagnation in terms of flat cash settlements, which are actually real-terms cuts to 바카라사이트 sector. With inflation being in double digits, this is unsustainable,¡± she said.

But funding issues should not be used as a ¡°get out of jail free card¡± by university employers, Ms Senior warned, and 바카라사이트 union was still convinced that 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s issues with pay and precarity could be addressed by principals re-evaluating 바카라사이트ir priorities and spending less on senior managers¡¯ pay and ¡°vanity projects¡±.

She said 바카라사이트 UCU would be pushing to convince 바카라사이트 new higher education minister, Graeme Dey, that more funding ¡°is?바카라사이트 key that can enable us to address so many of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r issues in 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

A Scottish government spokesperson said universities and colleges had been allocated nearly ?2?billion, ¡°demonstrating our commitment to supporting our learners and institutions¡±.

The allocations maintained ¡°overall funding levels in teaching and research despite 바카라사이트 challenging fiscal environment¡±, 바카라사이트 spokesperson added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com