The tradition of Northern Irish students at Dundee’s two universities is under threat due to Scottish Government changes to tuition fees.
Umbrella organisation Universities Scotland suggested it will no longer make financial sense for Ulster students to move to Scotland to pursue a degree as they would have to pay more than double the fees.
The news, which could have a significant economic impact on Dundee given the high percentage of Ulster students living in the city, has beendescribed as “concerning”.
Northern Ireland”s power-sharing executive has decided not to substantially increase rates for local students, meaning they will only have to pay £3465 per year to study at home.
That compares to bills of up to £9,000 per year students from Northern Ireland, England and Wales are facing in Scotland under plans unveiled by Education Secretary Michael Russell.
A spokeswoman for Universities Scotland admitted it is likely the number of Northern Irish students in Scotland which currently stands at more than 4000 will fall under the new system.
Dundee is a particularly popular choice for students from Ireland, making up more than 5% of the city”s student population.
Dundee University had 580 undergraduate students from the region last year, with a further 200 attending Abertay.
A spokesman for Dundee University said: “For a long time we have had a strong numbers of Northern Ireland students who have been made very welcome in the university and the city.
“We would obviously be very happy to see that relationship continue. However, there are changes occurring within the market for students and we will obviously need to see how this develops.”
Dundee University Students” Association (DUSA) president Iain Kennedy, who is from Northern Ireland, said measures should be taken to continue to attract Northern Irish students to the city.Impact”Over the years Northern Irish students have made a big impact on the university, the union and the city,” he said. “Northern Irish students are very active in clubs and societies. They really get involved and it would be sad to lose that.
“It is certainly something we are concerned about.”
Meanwhile, Labour MSP Jenny Marra accused the SNP Government of committing to the fees policy without understanding its consequences.
“Mike Russell failed to take into account the impact on Dundee and our Northern Irish students of the £9000 fee cap,” she said.
“If they didn”t already know, any local person could have told the SNP the importance of Northern Irish students to our local economy.
“We are now faced with a situation where we could lose 5% of our student population who spend a lot of money in Dundee and contribute enormously to culture and sport in the city.”
The fees arrangements for students outside the UK are designed to ensure university education remains free for students from Scotland.
The Courier understands Abertay University is preparing to set tuition fees of around £7,000 per annum for students from the rest of the UK, while a decision by Dundee University is due by the end of next week.
Higher tuition fees in England means the changes are not expected to have as great an impact on the decisions of students from south of the border.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said it is up to individual universities to set fee levels for students from the rest of the UK.
She added: “It is in their interest, as well as Scotland”s, that we maintain the cosmopolitan character of our student population at the same time as making sure that opportunities for students who live in Scotland are protected”.