Scottish Government reaffirm opposition to up-front tuition fees

Mr Russell insisted the principle behind the Browne review in England was "to transfer the cost of higher education from the state to the student".

He argued that Scotland had a "different way of doing things", telling BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "What we won't do is have upfront tuition fees."

Mr Russell said: "I accept there will have to be major changes in Scotland in higher education, I think we all know that after the Labour mismanagement of the economy."

However he added: "There isn't any one solution, there are a range of solutions that will change the cost base of higher education.

"But what we won't do is have upfront tuition fees."

Mr Russell spoke out after the publication of the Browne review, which looked at the funding of higher education in England, with the report calling for universities to be left to decide what to charge students.

Labour education spokesman Des McNulty claimed universities north of the border had "been left in the lurch".

He added: "The SNP haven't even got to the point of discussing principles yet let alone bringing forward proposals."

Mr McNulty, also speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, said: "It's their job, they are in government, they are the people responsible for dealing with higher education.

"The fact is that we've been left behind England and Wales, they've got the Browne review, we've got nothing in place."

But Mr Russell insisted Labour were "utterly wrong" adding that a green paper outlining proposals for university funding in Scotland was due to be published in December

He argued: "What I have done is put in place the situation that we will get the uniquely long-term Scottish solution. My desire is to have that long-term Scottish solution."

Mr Russell went on: "What I want to do is I want to keep the quality of the system at a world beating high and find the right way to make it last in the longer term.

"Everybody in Scottish higher education has been involved with me in that task, and we've got a chance of getting this right in a uniquely successful way."

And he added the issue of university funding was "not going to be solved by one soundbite" adding: "Anybody who thinks that has not done the work I've been trying to do with the full sector over the last six months."

Yesterday Sir Andrew Cubie, the author of an influential report which led to the abolition of tuition fees in Scotland, warned it would be "very difficult" for university funding to continue without graduates making a financial contribution.

He said: "I think we're back to a point where graduate payments are required."

However, he stressed payments should be made by graduates once their income had reached a certain point, and should not be up-front tuition fees.

Sir Andrew insisted any contribution should be "graduate payments, not fees".