Funding of tertiary education in Scotland conference

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, RSE President

Scotland’s tertiary education sector stands at a pivotal moment. The recent conference held at the RSE brought together a wide range of voices including students, academics, sector leaders, employer representatives and policymakers, for a timely and informed discussion on the future sustainability of Scotland’s colleges, universities and private training providers.

What emerged was a clear picture of a sector facing real and urgent financial pressures. Institutions, students, and staff are navigating a challenging landscape marked by funding constraints, growing maintenance backlogs, international competition, and demographic shifts. There are major risks facing the sustainability of individual institutions, which could have serious repercussions on the rest of the tertiary system.

At the same time, there is collective recognition of the essential contribution that tertiary education makes to Scotland’s economy, society, and global reputation.

The conference involved some of the top UK and international experts in the funding of post-school education. The financial crisis facing Further and Higher Education sectors is not unique to Scotland. A number of experts highlighted similar pressures in the other UK nations, and internationally.

This event therefore underscored the importance of drawing on both UK and international experience, and cross-sector insights to inform the debate. It also highlighted the power of evidence in shaping effective and equitable approaches, including from students themselves.

The RSE remains committed to providing a platform for trusted, independent ideas and evidence, helping to ensure that decisions on the future of tertiary education in Scotland are grounded in robust understanding and shared knowledge.

As we will highlight in our work going forward, our education sector is key to Scotland’s future success.  Hence this is not the end of the dialogue, but rather the continuation of a sustained effort to inform policy and practice through thoughtful, impartial engagement. As part of our work in the run-up to the Scottish elections in 2026 we intend to continue to feature the key policy debates in this important area. It is crucial that all political parties realise the importance of the tertiary sector to Scotland’s future, and the RSE stands ready to facilitate and convene key debates on this issue.

We are deeply grateful to all who made this important conference possible. In particular, we would like to thank RSE Fellows Sir Andrew Cubie and Professor Alice Brown for their expert guidance and leadership in organising the event. We also acknowledge the vital institutional support provided by the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh College, and Robert Gordon University. Finally, our sincere thanks go to William Hardie and Lauren Harrison whose dedicated efforts were instrumental in bringing the conference together.