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Select Committee · Scottish Affairs Committee

Universities and Scotland

Status: Closed Opened: 5 Aug 2020 Closed: 22 Apr 2022 29 recommendations 122 conclusions 1 report

The future funding of Scotland’s universities and fees for overseas and non-EU students will be the subject of this inquiry. The Committee will also use this inquiry as an opportunity to examine the impact policies made in Whitehall will have on Scottish Universities, their students, their employees and on research. Read the call for evidence … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - Universities and Scotland HC 54 28 May 2021 151 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
52 Recommendation First Report - Universities and Scotland Accepted in Part

Public sector funding for higher education in Scotland has reduced by 12% in real terms...

Public sector funding for higher education in Scotland has reduced by 12% in real terms in seven years. In addition, despite the policy of free tuition for Scottish students, and a cap on Scottish student numbers, only 90% of the costs of teaching Scottish students at Scottish universities are covered … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of ensuring diversified student recruitment for sustainable growth, outlining its International Education Strategy and Graduate Route as measures to attract international students, and states it will work with DAs on this aim, but does not explicitly commit to a joint …
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Scotland Office
94 Recommendation First Report - Universities and Scotland Accepted in Part

In terms of improvements that Minister Lochhead wanted to see to the Turing Scheme, he...

In terms of improvements that Minister Lochhead wanted to see to the Turing Scheme, he made similar points to us as many in the higher education section, namely that it should be expanded with a longer-term budget, include other sectors and should facilitate inward, rather than just outward mobility.217 In … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government committed to three years of funding for the Turing Scheme, confirmed it prioritises inward mobility funding, and stated it will continue to engage closely with Devolved Administrations in the scheme's future development.
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Scotland Office

Oral evidence sessions

7 sessions
Date Witnesses
25 Feb 2021 Iain Stewart MP · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland, Rebecca Hackett · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland View ↗
28 Jan 2021 Lauren McNamara · Student Awards Agency Scotland, Richard Lochhead MSP · Scottish Government, Roddy Macdonald · Scottish Government View ↗
9 Dec 2020 Professor Nigel Seaton · Abertay University, Professor Tim Bedford · University of Strathclyde, Rachel Sandison · University of Glasgow View ↗
25 Nov 2020 Professor Chris Pearce · University of Glasgow, Professor Katherine Smith · University of Strathclyde, Professor Rebecca Lunn MBE · University of Strathclyde View ↗
11 Nov 2020 Dr Stuart Fancey · Scottish Funding Council, Karen Watt · Scottish Funding Council View ↗
21 Oct 2020 Mary Senior · University and College Union Scotland, Matt Crilly · NUS Scotland View ↗
8 Oct 2020 Alastair Sim · Universities Scotland, Dr Vicky Johnson · University of the Highlands and Islands, Professor James Conroy · University of Glasgow View ↗

Who gave evidence

18 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alastair Sim · Director Universities Scotland 1
Dr Stuart Fancey · Director of Research and Innovation Scottish Funding Council 1
Dr Vicky Johnson · Director of the Centre for Remote and Rural Commu… University of the Highlands and Islands 1
Iain Stewart MP · Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, (Minister… Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland 1
Karen Watt · Chief Executive Scottish Funding Council 1
Lauren McNamara · Director of Strategy and Operations Student Awards Agency Scotland 1
Mary Senior · Scotland Official University and College Union Scotland 1
Matt Crilly · President NUS Scotland 1
Professor Chris Pearce · Vice Principal for Research and Knowledge Exchange University of Glasgow 1
Professor James Conroy · Dean for Global Engagement (Europe) and Vice Prin… University of Glasgow 1
Professor Katherine Smith · Professor of Public Health Policy University of Strathclyde 1
Professor Nigel Seaton · Principal and Vice-Chancellor Abertay University 1
Professor Rebecca Lunn MBE · Head of the Centre for Ground Engineering and Ene… University of Strathclyde 1
Professor Tim Bedford · Associate Principal (Research & Knowledge Exchang… University of Strathclyde 1
Rachel Sandison · Vice Principal, External Relations University of Glasgow 1
Rebecca Hackett · Deputy Director, Policy Delivery and Relationship… Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland 1
Richard Lochhead MSP · Minister for Further Education, Higher Education,… Scottish Government 1
Roddy Macdonald · Head of Higher Education and Science Scottish Government 1

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
16 May 2022 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Scotland on the UK Government response t…
27 Apr 2022 From cttee Letter to the Secretary of State for Scotland on the UK Government response to …
7 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Scotland, on Government responses to Co…
2 Mar 2022 From cttee Letter to the Secretary of State for Scotland on Government responses to Commit…

Meetings & visits

4 items
DateTypeDetail
28 May 2021 Informal meeting — · Virtual meeting
19 May 2021 Formal meeting (private meeting) — · Virtual meeting
2 Feb 2021 Outreach event — · Virtual Meeting
13 Jan 2021 Outreach event — · Virtual meeting