Calls For Universities Shake-Up

Students are calling for radical changes to the way Scotland's universities are run.

They want to strengthen democracy, transparency and reporesentation in the establishments.

The National Union of Students Scotland is arguing that the Higher Education Governance Bill should impose limits on principals' and sernior management pay, and allow union representations on pay bodies.

Gordon Maloney, President of NUS Scotland, said:
 
“At the moment, Scottish universities are too often run by the same types of people – usually male, pale and stale - without real accountability to students and staff.

"The extortionate pay packages awarded to principals and the embarrassingly low numbers of women on governing boards show what a lack of democracy can do to our institutions.
 
“We need to see universities become grounded in the community they serve, meaning that students and staff have a far greater say over how they’re run. Universities aren’t businesses and should care about more than just the financial bottom line. That’s why we want to see these changes, including elected Chairs, so that the people running our institutions are chosen democratically.
 
“The proposed legislation is a great opportunity to shake things up and make sure that the leaders of our education institutions are serving the interests of the whole community. We want to see the Scottish Government curb senior management pay, make sure that governing bodies are representative of the community they serve, and ensure that staff and students have a say in the way their university is run.”

Meanwhile, the number of Scottish applications for further education is at a record high.

That's according to data from UCAS after its January application deadline, which also shows a one per cent rise in Scots applying to study elsewhere in the UK.

MSPs say the proportion of 18 year old Scots from the most disadvantaged areas being accepted to Higher Education is up by 40 percent.

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Angela Constance said:

“The latest UCAS figures make for hugely encouraging reading. Recent years have already seen record numbers of Scots both entering and qualifying from Higher Education in Scotland and today offers clear evidence that the trend is continuing.

“Scots-domiciled students have their fees paid as we firmly believe that education should be based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay. Recent figures have shown a 40 per cent increase in the proportion of 18 year old Scots from the most disadvantaged areas accepted to Higher Education but we are determined to widen access still further."