Scotland's Universities

That the Parliament recognises the outstanding contribution that Scottish universities make to the academic, economic, social and cultural life of Scotland and to the enhancement of Scotland’s international reputation; believes that their ability to achieve excellence is dependent on their longstanding ability to attract both students and staff of the highest quality, their international competitiveness, their ability to act with versatility to take advantage of opportunities for the institution and the fact that they are autonomous institutions; recognises that current mechanisms of higher education governance are inclusive of staff and students, including them as members of the governing body, and are a central part of what is an open and transparent process for recruiting a university’s principal and chair for the annual appraisal of those roles, and is concerned that the current funding arrangements for higher education and the principles that underpin the Scottish Government's proposals to reform university governance threaten to undermine the ability of Scottish universities to remain world class institutions and diminish the autonomy that has been the main driver of their success.