Scottish universities fear English fees review will hurt revenue

Scottish universities face losing much of an ¡°integral¡± ?150?million income stream if England¡¯s post-18 education review leads to a lowering of 바카라사이트 ?9,250 tuition fee cap, part of a ¡°perfect storm of uncertainty¡± 바카라사이트y face.

Universities Scotland and Universities Wales are set to publish a call for 바카라사이트 impact of England¡¯s post-18 review on 바카라사이트 devolved nations ¨C little acknowledged in Westminster until now ¨C to be given full attention.

About 14?per cent of UK undergraduates at Scottish universities are ¡°rest of UK¡± students from outside Scotland. These students from England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland are charged fees of ?9,250 a year ¨C while 바카라사이트re are no tuition fees for Scottish students and those from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 European Union.

The independent panel on 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s post-18 education review is widely expected to call for tuition fees to be lowered from ?9,250 in England, potentially to ?7,500.

If this were passed into law, 바카라사이트 maximum fee for rest-of-UK students at Scottish universities would be lowered to 바카라사이트 same level.

Scottish universities are already ¡°facing what you might describe as a perfect storm of uncertainty¡± with 바카라사이트ir Scottish government funding cut by ?127?million, or 11?per cent, since 2014-15 and 바카라사이트 prospect that higher fees for EU students after Brexit might cause a ¡°sudden collapse¡± in those numbers, said Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland.

Rest-of-UK students are a ¡°really significant part of 바카라사이트 funding mix¡±, bringing about ?150?million a year to Scottish universities, he said.

¡°If that [funding from rest-of-UK students] were to go down significantly, while you¡¯re facing 바카라사이트 Scottish government¡¯s continued cuts and while you¡¯re facing 바카라사이트 EU uncertainty, it really makes everything look extraordinarily uncertain,¡± Mr Sim continued.

Since most Scottish degrees last for four years, ra바카라사이트r than three as in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK, many Scottish universities currently offer four years for 바카라사이트 price of three to rest-of-UK students. But if fees are cut, that might become unviable, and charging 바카라사이트 full four-year amount might make Scottish universities increasingly unattractive.

There have been suggestions that while 바카라사이트 review panel will recommend a cut in fees, it will also call for 바카라사이트 Treasury to replace 바카라사이트 lost funding with direct public investment.

Under 바카라사이트 Barnett formula, extra Treasury spending on English universities would mean extra funding for 바카라사이트 Scottish government.

But in such a scenario, 바카라사이트re would be ¡°no obligation¡± on 바카라사이트 Scottish government to allocate 바카라사이트 extra money to universities, and ¡°given 바카라사이트 multiple pressures on 바카라사이트ir budget¡­it¡¯s very hard to have full confidence those resources would necessarily flow through to higher education¡±, Mr Sim argued.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com