The funding challenge for Scottish Universities

19 May 2005

At the Association of University Teachers Scotland Council Mark Batho, Head of Lifelong Learning in the Scottish Executive praised AUTS for our work in policy development and looked forward to the next spending review.

Mark Batho stated that: 'We've had constructive dialogue with AUTS on a range of issues and I can say personally that I have very much valued this.'

On legislation and in particular academic freedom, he went on to say: 'This is a really important example of how AUTS has contributed significantly to shaping the future of the sector.'

On funding he stated that: 'A major challenge for the Executive, is to ensure that Scottish institutions remain financially competitive in a world where the Executive remains fully committed to a public funding route for Higher Education but where a very different model is unfolding in England... And what helped us last time to achieve a good settlement for HE was the robust evidence assembled during what we called the Phase 3 HE Review. AUTS played an active and influential role, chairing one of the working groups that contributed to the final report.'

David Bleiman, AUT Assistant General Secretary commented: 'Mark Batho's speech serves as a salutary reminder to the Scottish Universities of the task facing everyone in the sector as we seek to inform and persuade government ahead of the Scottish Spending Review 2006.

'The crucial thing in the immediate future is to intensify partnership work with AUT and other unions in order to reach agreement on pay structures and implementation methods which meet the terms of our national agreements and compare well with competitor universities in England which have already settled.

'This is not just a case of meeting union or staff objectives. It is a case of demonstrating to Scottish Ministers that Scottish Universities are making good use of the moneys provided in the Scottish Spending Review 2004 to maintain their UK andinternational standing. That is a necessary condition for a successful bid for further additional resources in Scottish Spending Review 2006. AUT Scotland will be taking this message to every Principal, every HR Director, every local pay negotiating meeting, in the weeks and months ahead.'

The speech in full is available below.

• AUTS Council 2005 MB (.rtf) [74kb]