The siege of Edinburgh University

Between 40 to 50 undergraduates moved into the university’s George Square Lecture Theatre yesterday afternoon demanding Edinburgh re-think its decision to charge UK students from outside of Scotland £9,000 a year for their courses.

Scottish universities are currently setting their fees for 2012 entry after the SNP government gave them the power to charge up to £9,000 a year.

So far, both Edinburgh and St Andrews, which account for around half of Scotland’s RUK (rest of UK) students, have opted to charge the full amount for each year of a four-year degree, with a number of other institutions charging £9,000 a year to a maximum of £27,000.

Aligning themselves with the Free Hetherington campaign, which saw part of Glasgow University occupied for 212 days, the students said they had come well prepared and were in for the “long haul.” Amy Westwell, 18, one of those taking part, said: “We have some supplies and provisions, but I’m sure we’ll find ways of smuggling things in.”

The first-year history student, who has not yet started her degree at Glasgow University, said: “We’re prepared to stay as long as we can.”

However, she later added that she would leave the building to be able to attend her first day of classes on Monday, with the hope of returning at a later date.

Mike Shaw, a 19-year-old mathematical physics student from Bristol, said: “If I were to start my degree, which is a five-year course, next year I would be paying £45,000 at Edinburgh, compared to £26,000 at Cambridge.

“This action involves not just students from Edinburgh, but those from Glasgow, St Andrews and Strathclyde. We want to send a clear message that these fees will not be tolerated.”

The protesters last night issued a list of demands, including the right to be allowed to come and go from the building and that there should be no “academic or legal repercussions” for anyone involved.

University security yesterday sealed off the building, allowing students to leave, but preventing anyone joining the protest.

Last week, a report published by former Liberal Democrats leader Charles Kennedy was critical of how authorities at Glasgow University handled the 212-day sit-in at the Hetherington Building, which continued until last month despite attempts to forcibly eject students in March.

Edinburgh University said the students would not be forcibly removed, adding that the police had not been involved.

A university spokesman said: “The university attaches great importance to freedom of speech, as long as points of view are put across in a safe and lawful way.”

The action was co-ordinated to coincide with the university’s Freshers’ Week, with new students set to begin classes next week.

Matt McDonald, president of the Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA), said: “We still don’t know what the protesters’ demands are, but if they’re against RUK fees, then there’s no reason for us not to support them. It’s a very fluid situation, they could be out of there in a few hours or in there for a month.”

From next year, the cost of a degree at Edinburgh University will be more expensive for English students than anywhere else in the UK.

Universities north of the Border are being allowed to charge undergraduates from the rest of the UK after the Scottish Government removed their funding following the introduction of higher rate fees in England.

Scots and EU students studying at Scottish universities will continue to be exempt from fees.