The international education strategy for Scotland that the devolved assembly outlined in its 2021/22 program for government has still not been released, while a replacement for the Erasmus program has also been delayed.
The government, led by the Scottish Nationalist Party, said it would develop a new strategy for international education to “promote Scotland’s education offer globally, increase the number of international students, and maintain our links with the EU”, in the 2021/22 parliamentary year.
It said a reciprocal Scottish Education Exchange Programme – similar to the Taith program in Wales – would “support the international mobility of staff and learners”. Leaders also said the devolved parliament would “work to re‑secure Scotland’s access to the Erasmus + Programme”.
It is not clear why the two initiatives have been delayed – they were already behind schedule before Nicola Sturgeon quit as first minister in February. But, after the Scottish government reversed a decision to allocate £46m to colleges and universities “without warning” on May 3, there is pressure on the government – and its new leader Humza Yousaf – to release a plan on how it plans to fund higher education in Scotland.
