Meeting of the Parliament 03 June 2015
We are indeed considering the wide range of evidence that is available in Scotland and across the developed world. In addition, as an open and transparent Government, we have published the consultation that was conducted earlier on this year; we have been very open about that. I appreciate and understand the views of people such as Professor Downes. On the other side, I have received representations from organisations such as the University and College Union Scotland, which delivered 1,400 postcards—one of which I have here; the rest are sitting in my office—that call for improvements in higher education governance.
It is important to stress that the existing governance structures, which have been informed by the code of good governance, have served institutions well, but I believe that higher education is capable of further improvements. Greater inclusivity and more transparent governance can only help our universities to develop and adapt to the challenges that they will face in the future.
The Government is rightly proud of its defence and maintenance of free tuition. Elsewhere in these islands, students are expected to accumulate loan debt of up to £27,000 to pay for their period of study, and it is possible that the UK Government might allow that figure to increase.
We recognise the positive contribution that our universities make to Scotland’s economy and society, and the benefits that they and Scotland derive from levering in additional funding from Europe and welcoming international students. The Government will continue to push for the reintroduction of the post-study work visa.
Scotland’s higher education progress and achievements are all the more impressive in that they have been achieved against a backdrop of a UK Government that is focused on austerity, on restricting access to study in the UK for international students and on fostering instability by taking forward plans for an in/out referendum on membership of the EU.