Conditional offer for Scottish universities
- £1 billion teaching and research budget
- Required widening access and graduate employment improvements
Scottish universities, including St Andrews, have been offered a £1 billion teaching and research budget, subject to several conditions.
Expectations of Scottish universities included widening access to higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, improving graduate employability and using university knowledge and research into driving Scottish business opportunities and economic performance. All of this comes within the hope that education leaders might "reform post-16 education" in Scotland and continue to attract international students.
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) announced the figures and requirements, based on the Scottish Parliament's draft budget, which is due to be ratified in March.
The University and College Union Scotland welcomed the announcement, but warned against research funding being concentrated in certain institutions and being "overly prescriptive on university outcomes".
