Edinburgh place cutbacks!

[wannabemedic321]

Scottish universities face being fined or having to slash numbers if they recruit too many students under a Government initiative to boost the economy, The Herald has learned.

The position has arisen after a Scottish Government decision to restrict numbers for the coming academic year in science, technology, engineering and mathematics – the so-called Stem subjects – because of pressure on budgets.

Since 2007-08, the Scottish Government has allowed universities to recruit as many students as they like in these subjects because it was seen as good for the economy.

However, the students come at a cost because their fees are paid by the Government-backed Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

As a result of the “considerable uncertainty” surrounding future financial settlements, Michael Russell, the Education Secretary, introduced a new cap on the intakes.

However, the cap – enforced through financial penalties – will lead to a rapid reduction in the number of Stem students at a time when many see them as vital to Scotland’s future economic success.

The worst hit institution is Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, which is already 11% over the new limit.

Under Scottish Funding Council rules, the university will now face financial penalties, likely to run into thousands of pounds, with a spokeswoman stating: “To comply with the new cap, our undergraduate population will have to be reduced.”

Edinburgh University will also be hit. A spokeswoman said that although the institution had not exceeded the cap, they would still have to reduce numbers. “In a context where, in recent years, our intakes have been higher than planned, we are planning to reduce intake for 2010-11 in Stem and non-Stem subjects,” she said.

However, a spokesman for Glasgow University said that, although they had exceeded targets last year, because overall numbers were beneath the new cap, they did not expect to alter recruitment.

Yesterday, Des McNulty, education spokesman for the Scottish Labour Party, described the introduction of the cap as “wrong-headed”.

“Scotland will need highly qualified graduates in these key disciplines to remain competitive in the future,” he said. “It is perverse for the SNP Government in Edinburgh to cap these disciplines, especially when there are so many high-quality applicants seeking admission.

“This will be a kick in the teeth for ambitious, well-qualified youngsters who want the skills and knowledge our universities are capable of providing.”

However, a spokesman for the Scottish Government defended the decision, saying it protected the quality of students. “An uncapped system for places does not encourage universities to maintain the quality of the learning and teaching experience for the entire student body,” he said.

“These new limits strike the right balance between maintaining those quality standards which the sector has worked so hard to achieve and recognising that we do not yet know our settlement for the financial year 2011-12 from the Treasury, of which the 2010-11 academic year forms part.”

The spokesman said the Government’s proposals were discussed last year by Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, and no objections were raised.

In a letter of guidance to the funding council in December, Mr Russell stated: “Since 2007, the financial context within which the Scottish Government is operating has changed significantly. As well as having to deal with the consequences of a reduction of £500 million in 2010-11, there is considerable uncertainty about future financial settlements.

“Against this background, I think it is prudent to revise downwards the thresholds for fees-only students. Specifically, I have decided to reintroduce an upper limit of 10% for priority subjects ... to be applied from academic year 2010-11.”

The restriction comes at a time when Scottish applications to higher education have risen by an unprecedented 31% as a result of a collapse in the jobs market.

Edinburgh University and Heriot-Watt University will be particularly badly hit.

[TheRabbit]

I spoke to people in the admissions department on November and they said these cuts won't affect Medicine, though other courses are looking at cuts of 20%..