Meeting of the Parliament 26 March 2024
The debate provides us with an opportunity to reaffirm our collective commitment to widen access to university for people from our poorest communities, and so ensure that, no matter what their background might be, everyone in Scotland has the chance to reach their full potential. It is also an opportunity for us all to reflect on the considerable progress that has been made so far. Just as important is that we will, I hope, explore the work that we will have to undertake collectively—in the Government, universities and wider society—to complete that journey. Let me be clear from the outset that we intend to complete it.
Having met the previous interim target, we have now turned our attention to the next interim target for 2026 and the final target of having 20 per cent of entrants to higher education coming from our 20 per cent most deprived communities by 2030. We have done so in the knowledge that such opportunities are there. This year, places in the system that were available to domestic entrants went unfilled. Although we thank the sector for all its hard work so far, I ask it to reflect on whether there is anything more that it can do. If that requires action or assistance from the Government, we will gladly have that discussion. We recognise how challenging moving the situation on will be and that adjusted approaches will almost certainly be required.
I welcome Universities Scotland’s 40 faces campaign, which will allow us to hear the views of students and graduates. In a similar vein, I look forward to hearing members’ contributions to the debate, because, as always, I am happy to consider genuine and constructive solutions from anywhere.
I am pleased to commend to Parliament the commissioner for fair access’s annual report for 2024. I place on record my gratitude to Professor John McKendrick. Last week, I met him to discuss his report’s conclusions, and widening access more generally, including the progress that we have made so far and how we can make the further progress that is required. I broadly welcome the report’s recommendations. My officials will work with the commissioner and other interested parties to consider how we might progress them.
I will take a moment to reflect on the report’s finding that increasing the share of students from the most deprived areas has not led to fewer students progressing to higher education from less deprived areas. That suggestion has been made previously, both inside the chamber and outside it. However, as the commissioner states,
“at present, increasing the share of students from the most deprived areas has not led to fewer students progressing to higher education from those from less deprived areas. The number of entrants has increased for all Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile cohorts since 2013-14.”
I am glad to see that that myth has been conclusively put to bed.