The National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland has today (28 August) reacted to the publication of the first report of the Future Framework, the ongoing review of university funding in Scotland led by Universities Scotland and the Scottish Government.
A product of the first stage (Pillar 1) of the Framework, the report quantifies the funding gap facing Scotland’s universities and found that the funding universities receive and the income they generate is not sufficient to sustain their core activities of teaching or research, and that a funding gap of £200 million existed in 2023/34.
As the national representative body for students in Scotland, NUS Scotland is an active participant in the ongoing Future Framework process and welcomes the publication of this report as the first step towards addressing the systemic funding problems facing the university sector.
Citing new research published Monday (24 August) by higher education policy analysts Wonkhe, which shows that treasury accounting rules cost Scotland £5.7 billion in higher education spending over thirteen years, NUS is calling for this issue to be considered in future stages of the Future Framework process.
Commenting, NUS Scotland President Justine Pédussel said:
“This report lays bare a stark reality: Scotland’s universities are facing a systemic funding crisis. Public funding no longer covers the true cost of teaching and other services, leading institutions to plug the gap with international tuition fees. This model is not only unsustainable but is also unfair, placing too high a burden on students.”
“Simply stating that there is not enough money, however, misses a crucial piece of the puzzle. Recent research reveals that UK Treasury rules shortchange Scottish funding for tertiary education by hundreds of millions of pounds each year. Future stages of this review of university funding should take this into account.”
“This report is a welcome first step towards addressing the challenges universities are facing. NUS Scotland remains committed to engaging constructively in this review. We will fight for education and for students - most of whom, like their institutions, are struggling to make ends meet. Once the review concludes, we need bold leadership from both the Scottish and UK governments. They must treat education as the public good it is and start to fund it properly.”
