Humza Yousaf risks presiding over the “managed decline” of Scottish universities after failing to offer them a budget boost, a leading academic has warned.
Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, convener of Universities Scotland as well as principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St Andrews, said the first minister and his cabinet were sacrificing the country’s potential to deliver the best higher education in the world by failing to provide the money or nurturing environment.
Universities were given a flat cash settlement in the latest allocations from the Scottish Funding Council, announced on Thursday. Universities Scotland, which represents the sector, said seven institutions were facing a cash cut in their funding.
Mapstone said she was particularly concerned about research funding. “With inflation still sitting in double
