Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Ben Macpherson on 18 December 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with Scotland’s universities to support their future success and sustainability as a sector.
The Scottish Government recognises the crucial role that universities play in our country and their innumerable contributions to Scotland’s economy. That is why we have now created the Framework for Sustainability and Success of Scotland’s Universities – a collaborative project between the Scottish Government, Universities Scotland and other relevant stakeholders to co-design and secure a successful and sustainable future for Scotland’s university sector.
This is an issue that goes beyond party political boundaries, which is why the work of MSPs from across the chamber in seeking to find common ground on these complex issues is desirable and important. The Scottish Government and Universities Scotland are engaging on a cross party basis on this work.
The framework will be driven by a Steering Group including representatives from the sector, from government, from staff and student bodies, and from the business community. This Group will oversee exploration of options for ensuring a sustainable and successful future for Scotland’s 19 higher education institutions to 2045, and will focus on designing a route to support the sector to drive change.