A STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF THE SCOTTISH HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR’S DISTINCTIVE ASSETS A study commissioned by British Council Scotland Neil Kemp William Lawton April 2013 British Council Scotland Waverley Gate (Fourth Floor) 2-4 Waterloo Place Edinburgh EH1 3EG United Kingdom T +44 (0)131 524 5700 F +44 (0)131 524 5701 [email protected] PHOTOGRAPHER CREDITS Pages 2, 7, 8, 21, 37, 51, 55 © Olya Tyukova / papajka.com © British Council 2013 The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. www.britishcouncil.org CONTENTS FOREWORD.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................7 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Report ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 1.3 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 SECTION 2 SCOTTISH HIGHER EDUCATION – THE CONTEXT .......................................................................................................................................8 2.1 Background ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 The Scottish government and the higher education sector ............................................................................................................ 9 2.3 Scottish Funding Council..................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.4 Scottish Funding Council and outcome agreements ......................................................................................................................... 11 2.5 Review of Higher Education Governance ..................................................................................................................................................12 2.6 Universities Scotland .............................................................................................................................................................................................13 2.7 Finance and fees ......................................................................................................................................................................................................14 2.8 Economic development priorities ..................................................................................................................................................................14 2.9 European Higher Education Area and the Bologna process .........................................................................................................15 2.10 Structure and degree delivery .........................................................................................................................................................................15 2.11 Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework .......................................................................................................................................16 2.12 Quality assurance in Scottish higher education ....................................................................................................................................17 2.13 Industry and business relationships .............................................................................................................................................................18 SECTION 3 SCOTTISH UNIVERSITIES, THEIR STUDENTS AND REPUTATION .................................................................................................. 21 3.1 The international reputation of Scottish universities .........................................................................................................................21 3.2 Research at Scottish universities: Quality, output, impact ............................................................................................................. 22 3.3 Research Assessment Exercise ...................................................................................................................................................................... 23 3.4 Location of ‘world-leading’ and ‘excellent’ research in Scotland ............................................................................................... 24 3.5 Access to UK Research Council funds ....................................................................................................................................................... 25 3.6 Research impact...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.7 Global ranking of Scottish universities ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.8 Students in Scottish universities .................................................................................................................................................................... 27 3.9 Domestic enrolment rates ................................................................................................................................................................................. 28 3.10 International students .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 3.11 Non-EU international students ........................................................................................................................................................................ 29 3.12 EU student enrolments ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 30 3.13 Subjects studied by international students ..............................................................................................................................................31 3.14 International student enrolments in the rest of Europe ...................................................................................................................31 3.15 International Student Barometer student satisfaction surveys .................................................................................................. 33 3.16 International students – some comments ............................................................................................................................................... 35 3.17 Transnational education ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 SECTION 4 DISTINCTIVE ASSETS AND CASE STUDIES ...................................................................................................................................................37 4.1 Background ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 37 4.2 Distinctive assets .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 4.3 A joined-up and collaborative sector ......................................................................................................................................................... 38 4.4 Enhancing quality and enabling mobility ...................................................................................................................................................41 4.5 Graduate employability ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 44 4.6 Innovative structures