Scotland is at its most critical juncture in decades. Emerging from a pandemic into an extremely uncertain economic crisis, and with skills shortages across multiple industries, the choices made by the Scottish government will impact on all of us for a generation. Where ministers make investments will determine if their ambitions of tackling child poverty and the climate emergency, and making headway on economic transformation can be realised and in an equitable way across our communities.
In last week’s spending review Kate Forbes, the finance secretary, announced that until 2027 the tertiary education sector in Scotland — our colleges and universities — would receive £1.5 billion a year. However, the impact of inflation means the real terms investment and spending power available through “flat-cash” funding reduces year-on-year. Scotland’s 26 colleges are already making substantial changes to cope with the £51.9 million funding cut for the sector from August, with job losses and course cuts likely. Colleges are already at the limit of being able to do more with less, or even do the same with less.
