The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 629 contributions
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
Thank you, everyone, for the questions and comments so far. Despite Brexit, inward mobility from the EU is still possible, with 20 per cent of Erasmus+ funding being spent by third countries. Just fewer than 34,000 people took part in higher education mobility, but we still do not have any data on that for Scotland. The Turing scheme differs in that it offers mobility worldwide, whereas 80 per cent of Erasmus+ awards had to be in Europe. Again, Scotland-specific data is unavailable. Why is the data unavailable? Who needs to process it so that we can get clarity? It seems that there is data from other parts of the process, but I am a bit unclear about why we do not have data. Perhaps Ms Jackson can answer the specific question, because it relates to your processes.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
Sai, perhaps we could hear your views on that.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
Roy, do you have anything that you want to add?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
It is about SEEP.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
I want to ask about the proposed Scottish graduate visa scheme. It would be useful to hear all our witnesses’ views on the idea of a tailored visa route for graduates from universities and colleges who want to stay in Scotland. Is there a willingness and a way forward for that? What might be the pros and cons of such a scheme? Could it unravel or could it progress? Would there be barriers to its succeeding? Perhaps Lesley Jackson could start and then we could go around the table.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
It appears that the process is disadvantaging institutions and that they are struggling to cope with the parameters that are being set. That must have a massive impact on the students who are trying to go through the processes. My question is for Sai. If the institutions cannot get clarification, it must be even harder for the students to process some of that and come through the minefield that is in front of them in order to progress.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
Sarah Paterson, do you want to add anything, or are you content with what has been said?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
Roy, I suppose that universities and colleges will be the same, in that the timelines remain the biggest challenge in ensuring that they get the advantages of SEEP. How is that affecting your organisations?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
The law of diminishing returns means that you are not able to progress in some respects.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 30 January 2025
Alexander Stewart
Okay. Thank you, convener.