tuition fees

NUS Scotland reacts to spending review

September 22, 2011 By Joseph Blythe Leave a Comment

NUS Scotland President Robin Parker "very worried" about cuts.

By Joseph Blythe

NUS Scotland have welcomed Scottish Government plans to increase funding for universities by around £75million. However they have said that they are “concerned” at proposed cuts to college funding, and warned that the government should ensure the number of places available doesn’t fall. The plans, announced yesterday by Finance Secretary John Swinney, are part of the government’s spending review, outlining the budget for the next three years.

There had been fears that austerity measures would lead to cuts in education, but Swinney was able to deliver on his party’s campaign promises of increased financial support and no tuition fees for Scottish students. He pledged a minimum income of £7000 for the poorest students, and the protection of the EMA for young students and pupils.

NUS Scotland President Robin Parker said “Taken together these proposals are a major step in right direction towards making access to education in Scotland fairer. This progress is very welcome news and testament to the hard work and campaigning by thousands of students across Scotland in the run-up to the last election.”

But he was less enthusiastic at the cuts facing the budget for colleges, saying “Colleges serve some of the most deprived communities in Scotland, offering an educational lifeline and local access to education to some of the most excluded in our society. They must make sure that no matter what, the number of places at college is at least protected and that quality is maintained.”

Filed Under: All Politics, Education Tagged With: budget, colleges, education cuts, John Swinney, Joseph Blythe, NUS, NUS Scotland, Robin Parker, Scottish Parliament, SNP, Spending review, tuition fees, Universities

Non-Scottish students marching to the Parliament

September 22, 2011 By boyanaa Leave a Comment

by Boyana Atanasova

Students from University of Edinburgh have started an Anti Cuts Coalition as a result of the decision of the university to increase the tuition fees for all non-Scottish students (from the UK) to the highest possible levels of 9000 pounds per year, starting from 2012.

The move became possible after English universities got the go-ahead to charge up to £9,000 for tuition.

The students’ answer to these decisions are demonstrations in several institutions. They are planning to expand their actions with a major event planned for the end of November: “We are calling for a national demo at Holyrood on Tuesday 30th November. This will coincide with the tuition fees parliamentary debate in Westminster. Our plan is to meet at Bristo Square at 11:30, from where we will march to Holyrood and stage a rally outside parliament. We call on students and staff from all educational establishments, for trade unions and any coalitions or individuals who want to stand against the devastating cuts to higher education and public services to join us”, stated a message from the Anti Cuts Coalition.

The students believe that these cuts will have a huge negative effect on the next generations and will affect people from the less privileged backgrounds, which will result in broadening the gap between rich and poor.

“We’ve planned multiple wild cat 36 hour occupations in Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews aimed at maximum disruption of management and not teaching”, added a member of the Coalition.

University of Edinburgh is one of the four universities in Scotland that recently made the decision to increase their fees. Edinburgh Napier University still does not have any position on this topic and the Napier Student Association did not give its opinion on the demands of the students from the affected universities.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: Anti Cuts Coalition, demonstration, increase tuition fees, tuition fees, university of edinburgh

“Reclaim Your Voice”, once again to fight for education.

March 23, 2011 By giuliamattei Leave a Comment

By Giulia Mattei

Reclaim Your Voice Logo

Yesterday morning, Tuesday the 22nd of March, students from all over Scotland gathered together in Edinburgh with the aim of taking part in the demonstration organised by the Scottish campaign “Reclaim Your Voice”.

Margaret Smith, Scottish Lib Dem education spokesperson and MSP for Edinburgh West, was invited to the rally to speak to the crowd. “”We are the party in government who scrapped Labour’s tuition fees while Tony Blair and the Labour party were increasing tuition fees down south, so I don’t need any lectures from the chap in front of me.” she said while people booed at her.

Oliver, 19 year old protester, comments on her speech by saying “I don’t even understand why she came her, I wouldn’t have had the guts to show up probably”.

The campaign’s website posted a slogan to encourage people to take part in the demonstration, it says : “For the first time in the history of the Scottish Parliament, we face budget cuts. The threat of tuition fees returning to Scotland has never been more real and we know that student support in Scotland is in deep crisis.”

Student leaders, lecturers, trade unionists and parents marched on Holyrood outside the Scottish Parliament before the elections on the 5th of May, to express their disapproval of cut-backs and tuition fees. People felt like it was the right time to step up once again and fight for the future of Scotland’s students, which explains why hundred of them showed up to protest.

Protesters urged the parties to rule out tuition fees, increase financial support for students, and protect university and college places, the three commitments demanded by Reclaim Your Voice.

If people were not impressed by Margaret Smith’s talk, they were definitely inspired by by what Liam Burns said. “In the rest of the UK, students were betrayed with huge cuts to colleges and universities and the trebling of tuition fees.” said the President of NUS Scotland, during his speech ahead of the march “We must come together with one voice to make sure that this never happens here in Scotland.” he added while the crowd applauded him.

Filed Under: All Politics, Education, Life and Society Tagged With: Edinburgh, Education, Liam Burns, Margaret Smith, protest, Reclaim Your Voice, students, tuition fees

Students Walkout

November 24, 2010 By Celeste Carrigan Leave a Comment

By Celeste Carrigan

Student have taking to the streets in protest : Credit; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11829102

Students in Glasgow today are gearing up for a mass walkout, in protest to increased tuition fees, Education cuts and to save the EMA.

Coordinated walkouts are planned to commence from around 12pm today and there have been a number of confirmed Glasgow Universities, colleges and schools taking part. The walkouts will be led to the protest and rally at 3pm at Glasgow’s city Royal Concert Hall. The rally will then commence at 5pm at George Square where speakers will include Dave Moxham (STUC), Pete Murray (NUJ) and Phil Whyte (NUS)

The new wave of protests are expected to take part up and down the country today including London, Birmingham, Manchester and Cambridge. These protests come in response to the speech made by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg yesterday, where he called on students to reconsider their opposition to the government plans.

“I know that more protests are planned by students tomorrow. I make just one request of those planning to protest: examine our proposals before taking to the streets,” he said.

Students are still taking to the streets today to send a powerful message to Government. In Glasgow students are wanting the government to see they wont accept tuition fees being reintroduced into Scotland, although this is still to be confirmed by Scottish Government. They are also wanting the Government to take notice that students wont accept 80% cuts to teaching budget and the EMA being Scrapped.

The new wave of walkouts and protest that are happening today come two weeks after demonstrations in London descended into violence, where 50,00 people marched the streets of London. They marched in protest increased tuition fees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to £9000 a year. Police up and down the country today are said to be ready for any violence at the protests today.

Fire Extinguisher thrown Millbank Tower : Credit ;http://www.thesun.co.uk/

Police arrested more than 60 people over the violence and disorder which saw windows smashed, objects hurled at officers and a fire extinguisher thrown from the roof of the building. Edward Woollard the 18-year-old student responsible for throwing the fire extinguisher from the top of Millbank Tower, has pleaded guilty today. There has been no word on any sentence yet.

Students in London have already started taking to the streets and have begun staging occupations at some Universities.

Filed Under: Education, Life and Society Tagged With: budget, Edward Woollard, EMA, Glasgow, Nick Clegg, Student Protests, tuition fees

Uprising and controversial debate over the future of university funding

November 10, 2010 By jkassner Leave a Comment

By Jenny Kassner

The government’s announcement last week to increase tuition fees in England up to £9,000 has caused debate and uprising in the UK. Especially the Liberal Democrat’s decision to back the rise, despite original election pledges to stand against any increase of tuition, has sparked controversy.

Fee Hike to Hit Scottish Universities

November 5, 2010 By nicolacd Leave a Comment

By Nicola Dick

Government plans for English Universities to charge £9000 for tuition fees by 2012 could have an impact on Scottish students according to Edinburgh East MP Sheila Gilmore. She believes that in doing so, there will be less spaces for Scottish students due to the attraction of lower fees:

“I’m concerned that young people in England will increasingly want to study in Scotland. This could squeeze out otherwise bright and able Scottish students. I’m also worried that the sky-high costs will put off Scottish students from studying in England.”

Gilmore has also expressed concerns over an introduction of tuition fees for Scottish students. She worries that if they are not, then the quality of Scottish university courses will drop.

There are more worries that this increase of English tuition fees will see a future generation of students in a high amount of debt. Those who come from a wealthy background will only be able to go to university:

“Young adults who can borrow from the ‘bank of mum and dad’ can access home ownership, and now these same people may well be the only ones who can afford to go into higher education. While the Tories and Lib Dem talk of their desire to improve social mobility, their plans announced today will only make it worse.”

Tory Business Secretary, Vince Cable, stressed the reasons for increasing English tuition fees is in order to address the massive deficit. He argued that the need to pay it down within five years, this meant going ahead with their pledge to raise fees.

Gilmore argues again that this raises the issue of cost over quality:

“If the deficit will be paid off by 2015, as the Government insist it will, then why do we need to rush through permanent changes to our university system?”

A spokesperson from Dundee University does not agree with Gilmore’s views on the rise of English tuition fees. They do not think this is the reason English students will be attracted to going to university in Scotland:

“This will inevitably draw students in with Scottish changes coming later than English ones. As well as this though, the actual quality of education and general student experience attracts people up here. I don’t think it will have too big an effect.”

Filed Under: All Politics Tagged With: England, Scotland, students, tuition fees

Scots universities at risk of closure

November 4, 2010 By nealjwallace Leave a Comment

by Neal Wallace

Proposed spending cuts mean universities and colleges across Scotland may be forced to close or face huge job losses, MSPs were warned yesterday.

Mark Batho, chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), which allocates funding to higher education institutions, warned that the higher education sector faces cuts of 16 per cent, around £250m. This means compromises will have to be made in order to save colleges and universities, include ceasing numerous courses or laying off staff.

Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, said he was “very, very concerned” at the proposed cuts, adding: “That would lead straight to the sort of circumstances of significant job losses, significant loss of provision, significant loss of quality and, frankly, a bizarre situation where Scotland, potentially along with England, would be retreating from investment in higher education.”

Scotland must find a "uniquely Scottish solution" to funding. (Photo by cna)

The news comes in the wake of last month’s Browne review, which recommended lifting the cap on tuition fees in England. This would give English universities the opportunity to charge up to £9000 a year. The highest charging institutions would then pool their money into a central pot, used to encourage poorer students to attend university.

First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Eduction Secretary Michael Russell have both ruled out bringing in tuition fees for Scottish students. Salmond has reiterated on a number of occasions that they must find a “uniquely Scottish solution” to the funding crisis.

Russell added: “Scotland has its own education system, its own needs, demands and strengths”, and confirmed the Scottish Government’s commitment to funding higher education.

A report in the Sunday Times last week suggested that English students looking to escape the fee hike by applying to Scottish universities may be charged the same as they would south of the border. This is seen as an attempt to stop Scottish universities being swamped by English applicants.

Universities Scotland has said the only solution to the funding crisis was to have a graduate contribution from the highest earning alumni, meaning they pay more for their education. The move has not been ruled out by the Scottish Government.

Filed Under: All Politics, Economy and Business, Life and Society Tagged With: Alex Salmond, Education, funding, higher education, michael russell, scottish funding council, tuition fees, Universities Scotland, university

Students in England facing 100% increase in tuition fees

October 21, 2009 By Anna Leave a Comment

Students protest against an increase in tuition fees (courtesy of nus.org.uk)

by Anna Fenton

The Conservatives have said they will increase tuition fees to £7,000 if they take power at the next general election, which has to be held by next June. That will see tuition fees for undergraduates studying in England and Wales more than double. The fees are currently capped at £3,300 in England and Wales, with no tuition fees for Scottish students in Scotland.

Peter Mandelson has already suggested that Labour will allow universities to charge more than if re-elected. Nigel Griffiths, Edinburgh South MP indicated that there has been pressure from some universities to raise fees. He said: “Raising fees will pay for more lecturers and decrease tutorial size”. He indicated that the Conservatives’ figure of £7,000 might be acceptable. Only the Liberal Democrats will scrap those tuition fees that remain in the UK.

Fred Mackintosh, Liberal Democrat challenger for Edinburgh South said: “I look around Edinburgh South and I see people return from university with no job and a bank balance tens of thousands of pounds in the red. What sort of message is that?”

“Labour and now the Tories are showing their true colours. They just want to saddle young people with staggering amounts of debt on graduation…The people of Edinburgh South can vote for party which will condemn a generation of youngsters to greater indebtedness or for the Liberal Democrats who will make education free again, giving young people the best possible start in life.”

The National Union of Students has estimated that the average cost of attending university now stands at more that £42,000. The average student will have accumulated more that £20,000 of debt by the end of their university career.

Filed Under: All Politics Tagged With: conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, students, tuition fees