Boost for colleges is well-timed

THE decision by education minister Michael Russell to increase next year's funding to universities and colleges by an amount over and above the rate of inflation is both welcome and sensible.

Colleges in particular have seen demand for places soar as school-leavers have discovered jobs in the current recession are hard to find. Funding to meet that demand is necessary to ensure that when the coming year's students return to the jobs market, they are equipped with a higher level of skills. They will be more productive, hence benefiting the economy during the recovery.

University principals, who have privately grumbled that they have been given poor settlements in previous years and have been forced into making staffing cuts, will also be relieved.

But they also need to be conscious that they occupy an important role in society. As The Scotsman reported last week, there are concerns that some research of dubious value is being conducted at the expense of teaching students.

Quality research, especially that which leads to the formation of new companies to exploit academic discoveries, something which Edinburgh University has become particularly good at, is certainly vital for future economic health. But so too is quality teaching.

Scotland's university leaders, who are handsomely paid by the taxpayer, need to show that they are earning their salaries by demonstrating they are focusing their institutions on excellence in both research and teaching.