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''The boundaries of the forest need to be withdrawn and some of the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