The Annual Revision of the Spring budget has been published. 

One of the main changes include:

• The Scottish Funding Council will receive an additional £20 million largely from savings secured from across other portfolios to help it meet the costs resulting from increased levels of higher and further education students entering the system this year.

Read the full document available on the Scottish Government's website. 

Headline figures from UCAS show another record year for applicants to higher education - the fourth year running that full-time undergraduate applications have seen an increase.

As of 22 January 2010 there were 570,556 applicants, a rise of 106,389 or 22.9% over 2009. The UK saw an increase in applicants of 22.1%, while overseas applicants rose from 55,245 to 71,105 (up 28.7%). Ireland (50.4%), China (22.4%), Germany (23.7%) and Lithuania (102.3%) showed the most significant percentage increases.

Read the full UCAS Press Release published on 8th February 2010

University applications from aspiring mature students in Scotland have more than doubled.However, many of them face rejection due to the reduced number of places available.

University admissions body UCAS says the number of people aged 25 and over applying this year soared by 108 per cent. The figures, showed a 58 per cent increase in applications from the 21-24 age group. Overall, the number of applications from Scots rose by 31 per cent this year, from 29,549 in 2009 to 38,763 this year.

Read the full article from the Scotsman that was published on the 9th February 2010

Graduates of Scottish universities should pay a dedicated tax throughout their working lives to help fund higher education, suggests Bernard King.   

Bernard King, is new convener of Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, said the tax would help maintain competitiveness in the face of tight public finances and any rise in top-up fees in England.  The call comes as Scottish universities are increasingly concerned about whether the existing level of public funding can be maintained in the current spending squeeze.

Read the full article from the Herald which was published on the 10th February 2010. 

THE number of foreign students granted visas is to be slashed in a crackdown on abuses of the system.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson is introducing tougher rules which include demands that applicants speak passable English and a ban on dependants joining those enrolling for short courses.

Read the full article that was published in the Scotsman on the 8th February 2010

Universities have appealed for funding for more undergraduate places after applications hit record highs for the fourth year running.

Many universities recorded overall increases in applications of more than 50 per cent.

Some of the most dramatic rises are explained by the introduction of an earlier application deadline for some art and design courses.  However, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service said there were also signs that the recession was prompting people to apply as they sought to retrain.

Two Scottish Universities, Edinburgh Napier University and Robert Gordon University have the biggest rises in applications compared with 2009 figures. 

Read the full article, published in the THE on the 11th February 2010. 

24th March 2010

Sheraton Grand Hotel - Edinburgh

Speakers include

Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning, The Scottish Government

Professor Tom Schuller, Director, The UK Inquiry into the Future of Lifelong Learning

Sir Andrew Cubie CBE, Chair, Centre for Healthy Working Lives and Board Member, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education

Morten Lassen, Head, Department of Economics, Politics and Public Administration, Aalborg University, Adviser to the Danish Government

For more information on the conference and how to book a place

Headteachers in Scotland are calling for an increase in spending on university places after a huge surge in applicants sparked concerns that tens of thousands of would-be students could be rejected.Applications to higher education institutions have risen by 31 per cent in the past year, to 38,763, according to figures released by the university admissions service UCAS.

Read the full article  published in the Scotsman on the 14th February 2010

Aimhigher West is undertaking research to better understand how learners’ potential for higher education is identified for widening participation activities.

If you are an education professional who has a role in identifying learners with potential for higher education (e.g. a school Aimhigher co-ordinator, a Gifted and Talented co-ordinator, a teacher, an FE lecturer, a progression to HE officer, etc) would you please assist this research by following the survey monkey link below and completing the questionnaire. 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/F5W39LN  

Seminar: Wednesday 24th February 2010, 10am to 1pm,The Club Room, City Halls, Glasgow

Keynote Speaker:

Dr Carol Craig, CEO Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing

For information on booking contact: shaigh@learninglinkscotland.org.uk