
Universities



Students' Union oppose 42% increase in post-grad taught fees at University of Strathclyde
Fear that rising cost will price out postgraduate courses for people from disadvantaged backgrounds
THE Strathclyde Students’ Union is campaigning for post-graduate taught fees to be made affordable, after their analysis showed the University had increased fees by 42.7 per cent for 2018-19.
Unlike undergraduate degrees, post-graduate tuition fees are paid by students themselves in Scotland, with a SAAS loan totaling £10,000 per year for tuition and living costs made available.

Robin McAlpine: Karine Polwart's finances make me wonder what the hell we really value
Common Weal director Robin Mcalpine argues our society does not place value on people with creativity and energy, instead rewarding mediocrity and bureaucracy
AT THE weekend I hunted out Karine Polwart's truly wonderful 2012 album Traces for a re-listen. I'm glad I did. It reminded me how good it is.
But it also pissed me off. Not the music I hasten to add, the fact that what prompted me to play it again was an interview with Karine in which she talked about the financial difficulty of trying to make a living making music in Scotland.

NUS Scotland calls on UK Government to reinstate Post Study Work Visas
Comments follow announcement of pilot scheme involving two Scottish universities
THE UK GOVERNMENT should reinstate the Post Study Work Visa system for international students at “every institution”, the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland has argued.
The NUS Scotland statement follows the announcement of a pilot scheme, which includes two Scottish universities, that would make it easier for international students to obtain visas and find work.

London rent strike victory as activists secure over £2 million in accommodation changes
Five month rent strike victory means cost cut and higher bursaries for London students
THE FIGHTBACK AGAINST sky-high rents at a major London university has won a multi-million pound set of concessions from management organisations through organising a rent strike.
‘UCL Cut the Rent’, at University College London, have coordinated two years of protests against the rapid escalation of rent costs in campus managed accommodation. Campaigners said the high costs were pushing young people into ever increasing debts and limiting access to higher education.


Sexual harassment on campus to be tackled in new Strathclyde project
Pilot at University of Strathcylde gets boost of PS300,000 government funding
SEXUAL HARASSMENT and assault on university campuses are to be tackled by a new initiative being developed by a team at the University of Strathclyde.
The pilot project will develop a tool-kit for higher education institutions and is one of several education institutions to receive Scottish Government funding.
One in four female students had experienced unwanted sexual behaviour while at university.

Students and staff celebrate passing of Higher Education Governance Bill
Bill will support election of university management leaders
REFORMS to improve the democratic governance of Scotland's leading universities and colleges have been passed by the Scottish Parliament.
The Higher Education Governance Bill seeks to improve participation in decision making through expanding elected posts.
The result, passed by 92 votes to 17, has been welcomed by student and staff campaign organisations.

Caledonian and Strathclyde university principals top expenses lists
Lecturers union freedom of information requests unveil extent of pay increases to university bosses
GLASGOW CALEDONIAN and Strathclyde university bosses have topped expenses lists released by University and Colleges Union.
The figures were published by the union as part of a larger body of data, retrieved through freedom of information requests to universities across the country, which showed that university principals received some of the largest increases in pay, pension contributions and expenses in the UK for the year 2014/2015.