Business, Innovation and Skills CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by University and College Union Scotland
THE IMPLICATIONS FOR SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
Introduction
The University and College Union is the largest trade union in the Post-16 education sector in the UK, representing 120,000 academic and related members across the UK, and is the largest union in the higher education sector in Scotland. UCU was pleased to have the opportunity to give oral evidence to the Westminster Business, Innovation and Skills Committee in Glasgow on 17 June 2013. This additional submission supplements our oral comments.
Education is already one of the most devolved areas in Scotland due to historic differences in both school and post-school education, as compared to the rest of the UK. Prior to devolution in 1999, the higher education budget and policy was decided by the Scottish Office, with a Scottish Higher Education Funding Council established in 1992. Devolution has led to further divergence in higher education policies, particularly on issues such as tuition fees. Nevertheless, there remains much that connects the Scottish sector to the rest of the UK.
UCU has no fixed views in favour of one particular constitutional settlement for Scotland, and is not intending to favour one option over another in the run up to the referendum on Scottish independence. UCU’s Scottish membership has, through its representative structures, been considering the implications of constitutional change and higher education for some time; and debate and deliberation is continuing on this matter across the union. The union considers it has a vital role in engaging our members in the referendum debate, and to give consideration to the impact constitutional changes could have on education, wider society and the economy. Therefore, UCU does not have set views on a preferred constitutional option, but we do have a range of questions which require responses from the proponents of independence, greater devolution, and the “status quo” options.
In our deliberations on constitutional change UCU’s priorities are those of our members, as our prime responsibility as a trade union must always be the defence of our members and in seeking the best outcomes for them. UCU also has a strong commitment to the students who participate in higher education, and ensuring the best educational outcomes for them. UCU absolutely rejects the notion of students as consumers, just as we oppose the marketisation and privatisation of higher education. UCU has opposed the introduction of tuition fees for students across the UK, believing that higher education should be freely available and based on the ability to learn. We welcome the fact that Scottish domiciled students do not pay for under-graduate tuition in Scotland, but we oppose top up tuition fees which are charged by British universities, including the fees Scottish universities charge to rest of UK students. UCU is supportive of strong accountable and transparent university governance, which promotes responsible institutional autonomy that is founded on strong principles of collegiality and academic freedom.
The Economy and Public Funding
UCU considers it vital that the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee considers what the economic impact of independence will be, given that the state of the economy will influence the shape of higher education in important ways, including the levels of public and private investment, student demand, taxation, and tuition fees. The current options for Scotland’s economy, whether independent or part of the UK, are not appealing. If Scotland remains as part of the UK it will be bearing its share of the Coalition government’s austerity cuts in the Comprehensive Spending Review, some of which must inevitably impact upon current levels of government funding for higher education. An independent Scotland presumably inherits its share of the UK debt, and given the proposal to retain sterling, an inextricable link to the rest of the UK economy will remain.
UCU has consistently argued for greater public funding for higher education across the UK, proposing to bring UK corporation tax in line with OECD averages to direct this additional income into the higher education sector. We are clear that employers benefit from the skills, education and knowledge of the graduates that they employ, but employers are not contributing as fully as they could to the higher education system which provides well qualified graduates each year. It is far from certain that an independent Scotland would be more conducive to UCU’s preferred socio-economic model of greater public funding of higher education. Whilst there may be a popular consensus in Scotland for universal provision: prescriptions, personal care, and higher education, for example; the economic models espoused by Scotland’s First Minister are based on low taxation and minimal regulation, whilst the Scottish Labour leader is raising questions on “universal benefits”.
The lack of clarity on the situation regarding European Union membership for an independent Scotland, a United Kingdom, or a “rest of UK” scenario (given the proposal for a UK-wide referendum post 2015), raises a plethora of questions, especially on student tuition fees in Scotland. Rest of UK fees currently provide an important source of income to Scottish universities, and uncertainty on an independent Scotland’s EU membership as well as possible transition arrangements, could be damaging and result in loss of income.
Scotland is perceived to do well from UK-wide Research Council funding on a population-funding analysis, but this success can be partly explained by the fact that Scotland has around 12% of the UK’s academic staff. Continued and sustainable research funding is vitally important to Scottish higher education, and universities need to know whether funding will be provided on a cross-border basis in the event of independence, or via a separate Scottish body.
Public Policy
As acknowledged by the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, the current UK Government’s immigration policies are particularly damaging to higher education in Scotland and across the UK, because of the restrictions placed on international staff and student recruitment. However, it is unclear how immigration policy would develop in an independent Scotland, and there are implications for both north and south of the border if Scotland has an immigration policy which is vastly different to that of the rest of the UK. A more open immigration policy could lead to greater recruitment of overseas students and staff. Further, the “Fresh Talent” initiative could be reintroduced whatever the constitutional settlement, whereby graduates get a two year work visa upon graduation. This was successfully pioneered in Scotland some years ago, before becoming UK wide policy, and then removed for all by the present Westminster Coalition.
Whilst Scottish higher education has avoided some of the worst excesses of the market and privatisation of higher education as experienced south of the border, many in the Scottish system see higher education as a business to make profit, and there are no guarantees that changing the constitutional set up will reduce the growth of the market within the higher education sector.
Widening Access to Higher Education
The sector in Scotland is attempting to address poor widening access levels at the moment through Outcome Agreements between institutions and the Scottish Funding Council, and the Post-16 Education Act commits universities to do more on increasing access. Nevertheless, the ability of universities to widen participation is inextricably linked to funding levels, and also relies on other educational and social levers, including pre-school education and tackling poverty initiatives. Therefore, the ability to increase participation in higher education, and to ensure students from non traditional backgrounds benefit from a university education, will depend on both political will and funding provisions, whether in a devolved or independent context.
Labour Markets and Collective Bargaining
Universities currently maintain collective pay bargaining arrangements on a UK-wide basis, reflecting the vast labour market for the sector, which for many institutions and disciplines operates not only at a UK level, but at a worldwide level. Scotland has a very diverse university sector, with world-leading institutions, small specialist institutions, ancient and modern universities, as well as institutions which serve local communities as well as having unique applied research specialism. It is important that the sector is able to negotiate pay on a fair, efficient and sector led basis; and from both employers and employees’ perspectives there is a strong case for continued cross-border arrangements or co-ordination.
Academic and related staff in Pre-92 institutions in Scotland are members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). Academic staff in Post-92 universities are members of the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme, with support staff across the sector being members of a variety of local government pension schemes or some institutional based schemes. Sustainability of pension provision is crucial for the sector, regardless of the constitutional set up. Clarity is needed on the operation of cross-border pension schemes, such as USS, in the event of independence, particularly in terms of any allocation of liabilities.
Governance and Academic Freedom
Significant work has been undertaken on enhancing university governance in Scotland over the past couple of years. UCU strongly supports the recommendations of the Professor Von Prondzynski review of higher education governance, and is calling for their full implementation. We also consider that the sector in the rest of the UK could benefit from the work on governance that has taken place in Scotland. Academic freedom is enshrined in the Scottish Further and Higher Education Act 2005. However, under funding and market pressures threaten good governance and academic freedom, as university managers work to get more for less, often with cheap casualised labour, and strive towards the concept of teaching and research “excellence”. Competition induced by the market along with managerialism works to undermine traditional academy collegiality and the value of education for education’s sake.
It seems unlikely that different constitutional settlements will reduce the influence of the market on higher education in Scotland, however UCU believes that better, inclusive and transparent governance systems, which value the academy, staff and students can make a difference.
4 July 2013