Rector Edward Snowden Condemns Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill
Glasgow University Rector Edward Snowden has condemned the Scottish Government’s Higher Education Governance Bill calling it “a real threat to the… independence of the university system.”
Our Rector Edward Snowden has condemned the Scottish Government’s Higher Education Governance Bill, calling it “a real threat to the financial and academic independence of the university system in Scotland.”. This is a position that echoes the voices of senior staff and student leaders.
He went on to describe the Bill as the “most significant, most substantial change for the ancient universities, which will dilute the student voice” referencing proposals in the Bill to effectively end the position of Rector in Scotland’s ancient universities.
He spoke of the dangers of complacency and spoke passionately of the need for young people to fight to retain freedoms they currently enjoy. In a speech that was part warning and part call to arms he stated: “Students will lose influence and rights they once had. The only rights you enjoy are the ones you stand up for.”
President of the Students’ Representative Council,Liam King, welcomed Mr. Snowden’s intervention stating: “The proposals in the Bill are a massive overreach of central government and entirely unnecessary. The Bill is regressive and represents nothing less than a ‘land grab’ by a centralising government, which demonstrates little understanding of the diversity of higher education in Scotland, but most crucially it would end the influential position of Rector as we know it.”