SNP's free tuition policy is fuelling a potentially existential crisis for Scotland's universities

Members of the university staff union, UCU, held a rally outside the Scottish Parliament last month (Picture: Lisa Ferguson) | Lisa Ferguson

Last year, Aberdeen University’s accounts warned of a potential threat to its continuation “as a going concern”. Last month, its principal hailed “significant” progress after the underlying deficit was cut from £12.5 million to £8.5m. In November, staff at Dundee University were told that job losses were “inevitable” because of a looming £30m deficit.

Now Edinburgh University, recently ranked 29th in the world, has warned staff that securing its “financial sustainability” may require major changes, including the “possible closures of programmes or even schools”. University principal Peter Mathieson stressed: “Nothing is off the table.”

Scottish Conservative education spokesman Miles Briggs said this latest “siren call from a leading Scottish university over its perilous financial position” demonstrated that the SNP government’s funding model was “short-changing” universities, adding that Labour’s decision to increase employers’ National Insurance contributions had created “a perfect storm for Scotland’s higher education sector”.

At the heart of the SNP’s university funding model is, of course, free tuition for Scottish students. However, it is blindingly obvious that the amount it provides to pay for this policy is simply not enough.

Last year, umbrella body Universities Scotland warned “a decade-long near freeze in funding undergraduate education for home students” had created “funding models that are unsustainable”. Paul Grice, Universities Scotland’s interim convener, has called for a “compromise” deal on free tuition to avoid ending up with “poor-quality education”.

Free tuition may not be entirely to blame for the evident financial stress on Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and other universities, but it is a big part of it.

These are all precious national assets. For our most preeminent institution to be in such trouble shows how bad the situation has become. Founded in 1583, Edinburgh University is a jewel in Scotland’s crown and its contribution to this country’s economy, culture and standing in the world is beyond measure.

We cannot make the mistake of thinking Edinburgh or any of our other universities are too big to fail, or they have existed for so long, so they always will. Time for SNP ministers to wake up to yet another crisis on their watch – and quickly.