The Scottish Parliament elections take place on 6 May. As always, education is significant in the parties’ manifestos. This time much of the focus is on the role of schools and the post-Covid recovery but higher education is also prominent too.
Much of UCU Scotland’s policy work over the past year has focused on the development of a paper called ‘The Future of Scottish Higher Education; An alternative vision for universities’. The paper, written by the union’s education committee and launched at our hustings for the elections details what our higher education system could look like with the will and intervention of the next Scottish government. A shorter summary was produced from the longer paper that UCU members and branches have been encouraged to share with candidates.
The longer alternative vision paper formed the basis of the union’s public affairs work with the Scottish parties as they developed their manifestos. Through speaking to politicians and meetings with policy leads, the paper was the blueprint outlining the union’s manifesto asks.
Below we set out summaries of the higher education references in the main Scottish political parties’ manifestos. In addition a number of the parties also mentioned student specific areas including on mental health and bursary funding.
SNP manifesto: Contains a commitment to advocate for Scotland’s involvement in the existing EU Erasmus programme. The manifesto describes how the SNP commissioned a Scottish Funding Council (SFC) review of the coherence and sustainable delivery of higher education and are awaiting findings. It states they will respond to the findings to ensure robust further and higher education systems.
Labour manifesto: Talks about universities being ‘anchor institutions’ in their communities and they have a role in raising employment standards. The manifesto indicates they will address low pay in the sector and the use of short-term and zero-hour contracts with ‘good work’ requirements for universities accessing funding. They refer to Implementing the von Prondzynski recommendation on addressing senior staff pay in universities to bring senior pay into national pay negotiations.
Greens manifesto: Includes plans to widen access to higher education, including removing financial barriers and acting on the recommendations of the Commission on Widening Access. The manifesto refers to measures to allow universities to oppose the marketisation of higher education and to allow universities to distance themselves the REF and TEF. It commits to make additional university funding through the SFC contingent on eliminating casual and insecure contracts and raising the wages of the lowest paid staff.
Lib Dem manifesto: The manifesto talks about them robustly funding universities and commits to stronger support through the SFC for research. Also commits to establishing an international scheme to allow Scottish students to study abroad and EU students to come here, on top of the Turing scheme. The manifesto refers to funding additional places for Scottish students in universities and encouraging universities to widen access
Conservative manifesto: Commits to free university tuition and proposes a review of post-18 education in Scotland.
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