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STUDENT campaigners have hit out at a think tank’s claims that graduates at Scottish universities should pay a financial contribution when they finish their studies.
Reform Scotland published a report today outlining its plans for funding institutions north of the border as universities struggle amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The graduate endowment fee was abolished in 2007, meaning Scottish students do not have to pay anything towards the cost of undergraduate tuition. Fees are still charged to students from the rest of Britain and outside the EU.
Reform Scotland’s paper said that it was fair that graduates should pay back part of their tuition once they are earning the average Scottish salary. It added that students from EU countries should pay fees next year as the survival of the higher-education sector is at risk from the coronavirus crisis.
But students have hit back at the right-wing think tank’s claims, calling for greater public investment in universities.
Strathclyde University Students’ Union president Matt Crilly told the Star: “Universities have become increasingly marketised, chasing more and more tuition-fee income from international students.
“The response to this crisis should be adequate public investment in our education system, not a heavier reliance on fees.
“Hurling mountains of debt onto the backs of the younger generation is not a ‘fair’ solution to coronavirus.”
Despite the urgings of Reform Scotland, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to free student tuition in Scotland.
A spokesperson said: “We are working in partnership with universities and colleges to address the challenges, and announced on May 6 an additional £75 million for research.”