UCU comment on the SFC review of coherent provision and sustainability of further and higher education

Commenting on the release of the Scottish Funding's Council's first phase review of coherent provision and sustainability of further and higher education Mary Senior, UCU Scotland official, said: 'There's much to welcome in the Funding Council's report, including the need for further debate and academic research on the university sector - mirroring the call for a Scottish Centre for Higher Education Research in the 2012 von Prondzynski governance review. 

'Likewise, we welcome the commitment to further consultation and that the review has rejected making seismic decisions in the middle of a pandemic. 

'That said, while we should constantly review systems and structures, we should be wary of any moves to look to the cheapest offer in the "senior phase" year, and while we want to see the unit of funding increasing, we're clear that now is not the time to be considering cutting student numbers. 

'As the country heads towards recession, the way to build our way back is by investing in education and not by cutting student numbers.'