UNIVERSITIES are to receive a one-off funding boost totalling £75 million to help them cope in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Education Secretary John Swinney acknowledged “world-renowned university research activities are under threat from Covid-19”, as the Scottish Government funding was pledged.
But he insisted the UK Government also needs to step up and fund universities north of the border.
Swinney, also the Deputy First Minister, said the “main interventions” from Westminster so far “have been focused on the higher education sector south of the border”.
He said: “We need the UK Government to take a UK approach and join with Scottish universities and the Scottish Government to build a support package that will protect the sector from the impact of this virus.”
The Scottish Government funding comes after St Andrews University said it faces a “hole in our financial position” of at least £25m as a result of the outbreak, with principal Sally Mapstone describing the situation as “as serious a financial crisis as our university has faced in modern times”.
Scottish Funding Council analysis has indicated Scottish universities could suffer a loss of around £72m due to Covid-19 this academic year alone – with a collective operating deficit of between £384m and £651 million forecast for the next year.
Holyrood’s higher education minister Richard Lochhead has now written to Michelle Donelan, his counterpart at the UK Government, calling for additional cash.
Explaining why the Scottish Government had acted, Swinney said: “Our world-renowned university research activities are under threat from Covid-19, from a loss of university income to the risk to jobs and investment.
“That research is critical to Scotland’s future public health and prosperity. So we are investing now to protect our research sector’s excellence, with £75m of additional funding, as we plan together for the future sustainability of Scotland’s society and economy as a whole.
“We are taking a partnership approach, talking to the universities and staff unions, as we build up our response. For the universities’ part, they are stepping up with a willingness to use part of this investment to support PhD students whose studies have been impacted by Covid-19.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here