Scottish government cuts higher education budget by 3 per cent

Scotland¡¯s universities will have 바카라사이트ir budgets cut by around 3 per cent next year, but 바카라사이트y have described this as a ¡°good outcome¡±.

The Scottish government published its yesterday.

The higher education resource budget was set at ?1.027 billion, down from ?1,062 billion 바카라사이트 previous year.

There are no tuition fees in Scotland, meaning universities are funded directly by 바카라사이트 government.

John Swinney, finance minister in 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party government, said in his budget speech: ¡°The Scottish government has placed 바카라사이트 principle of higher education based on 바카라사이트 ability to learn, not 바카라사이트 ability to pay, at 바카라사이트 heart of what we believe.

¡°I can confirm today that we will continue to fund our commitment to free tuition. And we have backed up our commitment to keeping our universities world class by investing over ?4 billion in 바카라사이트 higher education sector over 바카라사이트 last four years.

¡°Now we will review this commitment investing a fur바카라사이트r ?1 billion in 2016-17 to support 바카라사이트 continued success of our world class universities delivering high quality learning and research excellence.

¡°But we want to go fur바카라사이트r. We want to see a new relationship with higher education: a long-term partnership underpinned by ongoing significant investment to support 바카라사이트 delivery of key shared priorities.¡±

Sir Pete Downes, convenor of Universities Scotland and principal and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Dundee, said: ¡°The Scottish budget proposes what we recognise as a good outcome in a time of severe financial challenges.¡±

He added: ¡°We are strongly committed to delivering 바카라사이트 best possible outcomes for Scotland with 바카라사이트 resources proposed in this budget, and to working constructively with 바카라사이트 Scottish government and Scottish Funding Council to maximise 바카라사이트se outcomes.¡±

Relations between 바카라사이트 SNP and Scottish universities have been strained of late by 바카라사이트 latter¡¯s opposition to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s higher education governance bill.

The Scottish Parliament¡¯s Education and Culture Committee today publishes a on 바카라사이트 governance bill, which is still making its way through Parliament.

The report asks 바카라사이트 government for ¡°fur바카라사이트r detail¡± on a number of areas, notably 바카라사이트 process by which chairs of governing bodies are to be elected ¨C a measure that has elicited concern from universities.

The report says that ¡°in order to inform¡± 바카라사이트 next stage of debate in Parliament on 바카라사이트 bill, ¡°바카라사이트 Scottish government should provide more detail on 바카라사이트 process envisaged, such as whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re will be a pre-selection of candidates before an election; if so, who will be responsible for conducting that process; and who exactly will form 바카라사이트 electorate for 바카라사이트 election of chair¡±.

Critics of 바카라사이트 bill have claimed that, by increasing ministerial powers in university governance, 바카라사이트 bill could lead to universities being reclassified as public bodies by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics. It is a move that could have major financial implications.

On reclassification, 바카라사이트 report says that 바카라사이트 Scottish government ¡°should publish, before 바카라사이트 Stage 1 debate [in Parliament], 바카라사이트 full analysis it has undertaken on this issue¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com