Ministers backtrack over new Scottish HE reform laws

Scottish ministers have backtracked over new laws to reform the way universities are run amid fears of greater ministerial interference in the sector, writes Andrew Denholm for Herald Scotland.

Angela Constance, the education secretary, has written to the Scottish parliament's education committee saying the government is minded to withdraw a number of controversial sections. The Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill paves the way for the chairs of universities' powerful ruling courts to be elected for the first time. It also includes provisions for trade union members and student representatives to sit on court and for the position of chair to be a paid post.

However, universities fear an impact on their autonomy because the legislation also allows some of these provisions to be changed by ministers at a later date. They have also warned extra ministerial interference could mean universities are reclassified as public sector bodies, jeopardising millions of pounds of private investment and their charitable status.
Full report on the Herald Scotland site