Principal’s letter to The Herald published

Read the Principal’s letter to The Herald, ‘Breaking down barriers’, published on January 29:

Whilst times are tough for many sectors of the economy, there remain real reasons for optimism within higher education.

It’s true the sector is seeing cuts to its budget due to pressure on public funding.  These will have significant impacts, not just on the thousands of individual lives we transform, but on the wider Scottish economy and society.

We should remember, for every 1,000 graduates, the Scottish government gains £22.4million in additional income tax contributions, while for every £1million of public funds invested in university research, there is an economic return of £8.1million.

Universities benefit society in many ways, and there is great variety within the sector, bringing different perspectives, skills, experience and strengths to the challenges we face.

Universities are constantly changing to reflect the needs of the communities we serve. We played a major role in the country’s COVID-19 response and will help address future challenges, from guiding AI and tackle climate change, to reducing inequality and ensuring we have the health professionals we need for tomorrow.

We play a vital role in helping create the society we want to live in and can break down social barriers. At Glasgow Caledonian, 22% of our Scottish full-time, first-degree entrants were drawn from the country's 20% most-disadvantaged backgrounds. An independent economic impact report highlighted that Glasgow Caledonian is a valuable asset to Glasgow, not only bringing employment opportunities, but working to address the deep-rooted economic, social and health inequalities in the city.

Widening access to higher education isn’t enough – it must be balanced with increased success.  Glasgow Caledonian has the highest proportion of undergraduate-level graduates in highly skilled occupations (83%) compared to other Scottish modern universities - with 91% of our students in employment or further study within fifteen months of graduating. We are also the leading provider of Graduate Apprenticeships.

In Peter Scott’s article in this publication (England not the uni fees solution, 24.1.24), he suggested that universities like Glasgow Caledonian and others are ‘facing recruitment shortfalls and ballooning deficits’. Whilst this may be the case for some, it is certainly not for us.

In fact, data published by UCAS just last week showed that Glasgow Caledonian is the leading university in Scotland for Scottish undergraduate student recruitment. We also had an increased intake of nursing students, despite wider recruitment challenges in the sector.  We can grow further and are keen to do so, with potential growth focused on increasing the number of students from Scotland from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.

Where universities such as ours can clearly demonstrate their many social and economic benefits, such as delivering widening access and improving public health, they are in a strong position to grow. We are ready, willing and able, and have the potential and ambition to drive change quickly and meaningfully, bringing about healthier lives and creating a more inclusive, equal society in Scotland.

Professor Stephen Decent

Principal &  Vice-Chancellor

Glasgow Caledonian University