“Whilst once again we hear in Ireland that ‘proposals are to be submitted to cabinet in the near future’ regarding fees for accessing higher education, in Scotland (I know, I can hear you think, ‘groan, here he goes again’ – but indulge me, please!) things are different. Yes, for many years University principals (i.e. Presidents or Vice-Chancellors) have been seeking fees to bridge a perceived gap in funding compared to English universities, but their opinion is not shared at all by the wider public or by the SNP government, who insist that they are taking a principled stand that education should be free to all. In a world where much of politics is devoid of principles and commitment to an ideological standpoint, it makes an interesting test case. More recently, the universities have come to recognise that such arguments will get nowhere …” (more)
[Summa cum laude, 23 April]