Universities fight to defend status

Principal says Scots institutions must promote themselves to head off threat

ENGLISH plans to rebrand a host of small private higher education providers as universities is a threat to the international reputation of institutions in Scotland, a leading official has warned.

Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea, principal of Edinburgh University, said it would lead to universities north of the Border promoting themselves as Scottish rather than British to protect their global reputation.

An underlying principle of Westminster’s Higher Education and Research Bill, which does not apply directly in Scotland, is to make it easier to set up new universities.

Sir Timothy, who is also convener of Universities Scotland’s research committee, said: “In Scotland we are very clear that universities have to have a serious research function, whereas the bill now makes it possible in England for a small enterprise that has no Phd students and no discernible research function to call itself a university.

“From that regard I guess we will probably be more determined to describe ourselves as Scottish universities rather than as UK universities because there is a much higher bar to jump over in Scotland before you get to call yourself a university.”

The UK Government argues the current system, where new providers require the backing of an existing institution to become eligible to award degrees, is “highly restrictive” and argue increasing competition will drive up quality.

However, there has been opposition from lecturers’ unions who say the move to create more small, private universities will damage quality and increase the pressure on institutions.

A spokeswoman for Universities Scotland said: “We welcome competition from high quality providers where it provides greater choice for learners.

“However, we have a shared interest, with other UK universities, in making sure only institutions of proven and sustainable integrity have degreeawarding power or university title.

“Failure to provide sufficient assurances on this would risk the reputation of Scotland’s universities in their partnerships with overseas institutions and recruitment of international students.”

Meanwhile, student body NUS Scotland highlighted the impact of a proposal in the legislation to allow universities in England to increase fees if their quality is highly rated under a new system of quality assurance known as the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

The Scottish Government has put forward proposals for institutions here that want to be part of the TEF to join voluntarily.

However, while Scottish universities are already allowed to increase fees to students from the rest of the UK to the level of the highest charged in England, there would be no corresponding assurance on quality, NUS Scotland said.

Its submission to the Scottish Parliament states: “At present, Scottish universities are permitted to charge students from the rest of the UK the highest amount that is chargeable elsewhere in the UK, but there is no link to quality.

“Through the ability to charge higher fees as a result of UK Government policy, they see many of the benefits, but with little of the responsibility. We believe that is wholly wrong.”

The Universities and Colleges Union is also concerned about using TEF to rate quality for institutions in Scotland.