THE Principal of Napier University yesterday called for the
introduction of an entry fee and graduate tax to pay for the burgeoning
cost of higher education.
Professor William Turmeau also proposed a major reorganisation of
Scotland's system of higher education to concentrate on the 12
universities.
In a wide-ranging speech in which he questioned the priorities of the
Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, he said the Scottish system
could be greatly enhanced, ''and would be nearly perfect'' if all of it
was covered by the existing 12 universities.
Professor Turmeau told about 500 graduates at a ceremony in Edinburgh
that Scotland's system was made up of 22 institutions and yet 86 per
cent of all students were enrolled at the 12 universities.
There were 10 other ''resource-intensive'' institutions which demanded
nearly a half of the funding council's attention.
''My message to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council is, try
and separate the wood from the trees in your actions.
''The boundaries of the forest need to be withdrawn and some of the
trees require to be cut down. It is the system as a whole that requires
to be changed and reorganised rather than the internal activities of
larger individual universities.''
He said higher education was so expensive that the burden was becoming
too much for the Treasury and the taxpayer. Nevertheless, there was a
desperate need for an increase in provision to compete with other
advanced countries.
''If access to higher education is not increased, then Scotland and
the UK is condemned to becoming a second-rate and second-class nation.
''My solution would be for a tax which graduates, when they are
working, would pay as a part, just a part, of the cost of their tuition.
''Surely it is only fair that those who benefit from higher education
should repay at least some of the cost of that education.''
Mr Turmeau said potential students were being turned away from
universities.
''This country cannot afford a moratorium on entry to higher
education. My message to the Government is, if you want the UK to remain
an advanced country, then open the doors to higher education but charge
an entry fee and do it quickly.
''In terms of the long-term future of this country, other decisions
fade into insignificance.''
*''Fit's an honorary degree?'' might well be the reaction of the
Scotland the What review team of George Donald, Buff Hardie, and Steve
Robertson.
They will find out next year when they become the first recipients of
Aberdeen University's newly-introduced degree of Master of the
University.
Others who will receive honorary degrees are Mr James Donald, director
of His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen; Mrs Ena Baxter, one of the driving
forces behind the family firm of Baxters of Speyside; Mr Colin Bell,
journalist and broadcaster, who was Rector of the university from
1990-93; Mr Donald MacKay, chairman of Scottish Enterprise, and
Councillor Robert Middleton, convener of Grampian region.
Glasgow Caledonian University graduation list11
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