The Scottish Government has announced a one-off £75 million
increase in funding for Scotland’s universities to ensure they
can protect their world-leading research programmes against the
financial impact of COVID-19.
The significant intervention will help secure the jobs and
training needed to support ongoing and future research
work, meaning institutions can concentrate fully on planning
the long-term future of a sector so vital to the Scottish
economy.
Universities will also be expected to adapt and use their own
resources, as well as the packages of support for businesses
provided by the UK Government, to counter the effects of the
pandemic on research operations.
The new funding will replace lost research income, protect
research jobs, and help universities focus more effort on the
high priority research needed to fight the outbreak and to
support society and the economy, post COVID-19.
, Minister for Further
Education, Higher Education and Science, has now written to his
UK Government counterpart , Minister of State for
Universities, calling for a UK investment and support package for
Higher Education (HE), including additional financial support for
universities, to ensure they and their graduates can continue to
play a key role in the UK’s economic and social recovery from the
pandemic.
Scottish university income has been significantly affected by the
COVID-19 outbreak, most notably by a loss of international
student income, cancelled conference bookings, and returned
accommodation fees. Recent Scottish Funding Council (SFC)
analysis indicated Scottish universities face a loss of around
£72 million due to COVID-19 this academic year alone, with a
collective operating deficit of between £384 million and £651
million forecast for next academic year.
The Scottish Government is working with the SFC and the sector to
mitigate the current issues across the range of university
activities including research, supporting teaching excellence and
student well-being.
Deputy First Minister said:
“Our world-renowned university research activities are under
threat from COVID-19, from a loss of university income to the
risk to jobs and investment. That research is critical to
Scotland’s future public health and prosperity. So we are
investing now to protect our research sector’s excellence, with
£75 million of additional funding, as we plan together for the
future sustainability of Scotland’s society and economy as a
whole.
“We are taking a partnership approach, talking to the
universities and staff unions, as we build up our response. For
the universities' part, they are stepping up with a willingness
to use part of this investment to support PhD students whose
studies have been impacted by COVID-19.
“Now we need the UK Government to join those efforts. So far,
their main interventions have been focused on the HE sector south
of the border. We need the UK Government to take a UK approach
and join with Scottish universities and the Scottish Government
to build a support package that will protect the sector from the
impact of this virus.”
The additional funding will be administered by the SFC. Its
Chief Executive, Karen Watt said:
“This is very welcome additional funding for research in
Scotland. We will work closely with the sector to ensure it
helps universities continue with vital research, including the
response to COVID-19, and contributions to our subsequent
recovery.”
Universities Scotland Convenor, Professor Andrea Nolan said:
“We welcome the Scottish Government’s recognition of the role
research and innovation will play in supporting business and
industry and strengthening our post COVID-19 economy and society.
“The pace of this commitment, and the injection of confidence it
will give the research community within the sector, is very
welcome.
“We will work closely with Government and the Scottish Funding
Council to ensure this resource has the most impact, including
support for our PhD students, who are our pipeline of talent for
future research and who have been adversely affected by the
instability created by the pandemic.”
Background
The additional money is research capital funding. University
research is classed as capital in the current 2020-21 Scottish
budget. The details of the allocation to individual
universities will be subject to consultation with the sector by
the Scottish Funding Council.
A number of PhD students will have their work interrupted by, as
examples, the closure of laboratories or the inability to pursue
fieldwork owing to COVID-19. This intervention will give
universities additional resource to respond, for example, by
offering financial support to a student to extend a project once
their practical work can recommence.
