A bid to change the way Scottish universities operate could damage the economy, St Andrews University has warned.
Holyrood’s finance committee will hear from Scotland’s most famous institutions about the controversial Higher Education Governance Bill today, with some claiming the SNP’s planned changes could cost the sector tens of millions of pounds every year.
A submission by St Andrews said: “The uncertainty generated by this legislation, and the risk posed to the autonomy, can only damage the academic reputation of the higher education sector in Scotland, and undermine our international competitiveness and our contribution to Scotland’s future economic growth.”
Experts, and controversial US whistle-blower Edward Snowden, have already hit out at the SNP over the possibility of autonomy being lost by universities and placed into the hands of politicians.
Scottish Conservative young people spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “If the Scottish Government does not abandon these proposals, which would change the whole structure of higher education, they will put in jeopardy the ability of universities to retain world-class status.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Bill simply aims to improve governance by enabling our higher education institutions to embrace greater transparency and inclusivity in their governance arrangements.”