Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 139
139
Professor Nigel Seaton, Abertay University, told us that higher education is “fundamentally international”.324 Universities Scotland...
Conclusion
Professor Nigel Seaton, Abertay University, told us that higher education is “fundamentally international”.324 Universities Scotland have also stated that “internationalisation is top of the agenda for Scottish universities”325 and, in July 2020, they published a report on the importance of internationalisation for Scottish universities.326 The RSE Young Academy of Scotland point out that one of the key reasons behind Scotland’s internalisation agenda is that “with a population growth rate below 1%, and large poorly populated areas, Scotland’s industries rely upon an influx of non-Scottish born people across all sectors”.327 They go on to say that “recruitment and retention of an innovative, multi-cultural workforce is essential for research, development, up-skilling and competitiveness of local communities”.328 Outlining the importance of international recruitment, Universities Scotland highlight that “staff from outside the UK make up 22.3% of the workforce in Scotland’s universities, which is higher than in universities across the rest of the UK”.329
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
Higher Education in Scotland is, for the most part, a devolved responsibility. We recognise that the whole of the UK benefits from stability across Higher Education. We appreciate the importance of continuing to work closely with the Scottish Government as we recover from the COVID pandemic. There has been and continues to be engagement at ministerial and official level with the Scottish Government (and the other devolved administrations) to exchange information and policy developments across a range of issues facing education systems in the UK. Furthermore, the UK Government has been working tirelessly to support businesses and the economy in Scotland including our universities. International students bring fresh ideas and new perspectives and in doing so help challenge thinking, making for an enriching learning environment for all students, including those from the UK. For our young people, this cultural exchange helps build