EUSA has voiced its disappointment regarding Principal Peter Mathieson’s comments which suggested a restructuring of the tuition fee funding model for Scottish students.
Acknowledging the unsustainability of the current system, EUSA argues that the funding crisis is more complex and that a change in tuition fees will put Scottish students under pressure without meaningfully addressing the issue.
Ash Scholz, EUSA President, said: “Free tuition is a longstanding political and social commitment in Scotland.”
“Any proposal that asks Scottish students to ‘repay’ tuition costs, regardless of how it is framed, risks undermining that principle and placing additional financial pressure on graduates at a time when many are already facing rising living costs and insecure employment.”
EUSA aligns with Mathieson in seeking to expand admissions for Scottish students, though prefers a different approach.
EUSA believes the solution is “meaningful reform at a systemic level” and that the Scottish government needs to recommit to properly funding higher education.
A member of Edinburgh’s branch of The 93% Club told The Student: “In a university where Scottish students already feel alienated, it is important to uphold the tradition of free university tuition for Scots.”
“If we want to find solutions to the ‘university crisis’, I suggest we start from the top.”
“Peter Mathieson 2019” by Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh is licensed under CC BY 4.0.