Image: Robert Bye, via Unsplash
Abertay principal will praise agility of modern universities at SNP party conference
Cuts to the higher education sector represent a “significant threat” to the prosperity of the UK, the principal and vice-chancellor of Abertay University is set to tell the Scottish National Party conference.
Addressing the conference on 30 August, Liz Bacon will trumpet the role of modern universities in the UK economy, citing their “agility and adaptability” as potential strengths over more traditional institutions.
“Our institutions, often more agile in terms of their ability to pivot and change direction, are well equipped to respond swiftly to the evolving needs of industries when disruptions like AI come along, allowing us the flexibility to create and offer programmes and research initiatives that align with the latest technologies and trends,” Bacon will say.
Bacon—who is also a member of the executive for modern university group MillionPlus—will go on to highlight the financial precarity of UK institutions, with real-terms income for providers under pressure across the UK.
“While we absolutely appreciate the funding pressures currently facing all parts of the UK, it is a fact that the ongoing cuts to the higher education sector pose a significant threat to our ability to create a more prosperous nation,” she is expected to say.
Excellent work
“It is essential that we partner with the government to unlock the full potential of our universities and establish a more stable, long-term financial foundation for the sector, building on the excellent work going on across our institutions.”
The 2024 SNP conference is taking place after the party, which had been the dominant party in Scotland since 2007, saw a collapse of support in this year’s July general election. The SNP lost 39 seats in Westminster, bringing its total from 48 seats to just nine. The party holds 62 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament.
“Scotland’s modern universities are not merely centres of education; we are engines of innovation, hubs of social change, and drivers of economic development,” Bacon will say.
“All universities play a vital role in equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the rapidly evolving labour market, but modern universities stand out for their commitment to nurturing skills that are critical for Scotland’s economic advancement.”