The Students’ Association at Scotland’s oldest university says reform to the student funding system is needed but warns of a “brain drain” if recent recommendations to revamp higher education fees south of the border are adopted.
Association president at St Andrews University Owen Wilton and director of representation Siena Parker say the status quo is “unrealistic” and must be replaced by a form of funding that is sustainable and progressive.
Their comments come just days after Lord Browne’s long-awaited review of England’s higher education system was published. A number of suggestions were put forward in this, including no limit on fees charged by universities.
Although the Browne Report does not concern Scotland it could have significant implications on our own system if put into practice.
In a joint statement the Students’ Association warns an increase in fees will give English universities a competitive edge over Scottish institutions.
“They will have bigger and better budgets, and extra funds which they can use to lure away Scotland’s best lecturers and researchers. The inevitable result would be a ‘brain drain’ which will have a direct impact on the quality of teaching and output of research in Scotland.
“We concede that students are going to have to contribute more: if we want a world-class education, we are going to have to pay for it.
“We would demand that, whatever the form the graduate contribution takes, payment would only begin when graduates begin to see a personal financial benefit from their education and the rates cannot be mortgage style fixed sums but instead must be related to the graduate’s earnings.”
The student body also argues that policymakers are debating fees, taxes and endowments without grappling with the key question of how students support themselves through degree courses.
“We are an independent student union but we stand by NUS Scotland in calling for a more generous and intelligent system of funding that gives more money to the students who need it most. There must be a fundamental overhaul of student finance.”