Higher Education in Scotland, the Devolution Settlement and the Referendum on Independence

这个项目包括审查政策和统计、初级研究和知识交流活动，特别强调后者。拟议工作的一个中心主题是探索在英国权力下放解决方案之后，高等教育领域已经存在的政策分歧和趋同程度，以及投票支持独立后可能出现的各种情况。高等教育之所以引起公众的极大兴趣，是因为它与个人的生活机会、社会流动性、社会正义和社会公民身份等问题有着密切的关系。它还影响到与独立辩论高度相关的许多其他公共政策领域，包括移民、平等、经济发展和劳动力市场政策。虽然高等教育已经是一个权力下放的问题，但威斯敏斯特制定的政策对苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰的政策有很大的影响。出于同样的原因，苏格兰的高等教育政策对英国其他国家也有重大影响。例如，英国某一地区的政策变化反映在学生的跨境流动上。高等教育也说明了在全球高等教育市场的背景下，苏格兰与其他欧洲国家、发达国家和发展中国家关系的复杂性。这些关系在独立公投后可能发生的变化将会被探讨。研究和知识交流活动将探讨进一步权力下放和/或独立对苏格兰高等教育的以下影响：(1)苏格兰高等教育在使命和价值观方面的当前和未来的独特性；(2)不同政策对学费的影响，特别是在学生跨境流动方面；(3)扩大机会和参与的不同方法，包括为代表性不足群体的学生提供财政和机构支持；(4)公众对社会权利地域差异的态度；(5)共享服务的未来；(6)权力回流对高等教育在移民和平等等方面的影响；(7)未来欧盟政策和全球高等教育市场对苏格兰高等教育的影响。使用的方法包括：(i)审查政策和统计数据，以调查苏格兰高等教育政策的当前发展方向；（ii）分析UCAS的数据，探讨学生跨境流动的当前趋势；（三）知识交流活动。公众参与活动包括：组织智库和会议；编写工作文件、前后智囊团简报和最后的精装出版物；与媒体接触，包括在电视和广播上讲话。专门针对16 - 17岁儿童的活动包括与苏格兰儿童合作制作短片和播客，并在项目网站上主持讨论板。

This project involves undertaking reviews of policy and statistics, primary research and knowledge exchange activities, with a particularly strong emphasis on the latter. A central theme of the proposed work is to explore the extent of policy divergence and convergence which already exists in the field of higher education following the devolution settlement across the UK, and the various scenarios which may arise following a vote for independence. Higher education is of great interest to the public because it has a strong bearing on individual life chances, social mobility and issues of social justice and social citizenship. It also impinges on many other areas of public policy which are highly relevant to the debate on independence, including immigration, equality, economic development and labour market policy. Although higher education is already a devolved matter, policy developed at Westminster has a strong influence on policy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. By the same token, Scottish higher education policy has major implications for the other countries of the UK. For example, changes in policy in one part of the UK are reflected in cross-border flows of students. Higher education also illustrates the complexity of Scotland's relationships with other European countries and the developed and developing world in the context of the global higher education market. Possible changes in these relationships following a vote for independence will be explored. Research and knowledge exchange activities will explore the following effects of further devolution and/or independence on Scottish higher education: (1) The current and future distinctiveness of Scottish higher education with regard to mission and values;(2)The impact of diverging policies on student fees , particularly in relation to cross-border flows of students; (3) Differing approaches to widening access and participation, including financial and institutional support for students from under-represented groups;(4) Public attitudes towards territorial differences in social entitlements;(5) The future of shared services;(6) The impact on higher education of the repatriation of powers in areas such as immigration and equality;(7) The future influence of EU policy and the global higher education market on higher education in Scotland .Methods used include: (i) reviews of policy and statistics to investigate current directions of travel in Scottish higher education policy; (ii) analysis of UCAS data to explore current trends in cross-border flows of students; and (iii) knowledge exchange activities. Public engagement activities include: organising think tanks and a conference; the production of working papers, pre and post think tanks briefings and a final glossy publication; engagement with the media including speaking on TV and radio. Activities aimed specifically at 16 - 17 years olds include the production of a short film and podcast in partnership with Children in Scotland and the hosting of a discussion board on the project website.