by Sebastian Monteux and Jane Fenton
Brings together seven papers by authors with diverse expertise in Scottish higher education, exploring the challenges and opportunities facing the sector today.
Prompted by the widely publicised difficulties at the University of Dundee, the edition tackles fundamental questions of purpose, academic freedom and the growing expectation that universities deliver social, emotional and economic outcomes simultaneously. Together, these contributions map a sector at a crossroads: one that has long enjoyed international esteem yet now faces mounting pressures that threaten its vitality and risk the emergence of an epistemic monoculture.
Scottish higher education
Universities occupy a paradoxical position in the contemporary landscape of higher education. On one hand, they are among the most successful and globally respected institutions in the world. Per capita, Scotland boasts a record of world-class universities that rivals any nation, with several consistently ranking in the top 200 internationally. Their strengths in science, medicine, environmental research, and innovation are widely acknowledged. Beyond academia, they serve as major employers and cultural anchors, shaping Scotland’s economy and intellectual life.
The country’s long-standing commitment to widening access and maintaining free tuition for Scottish-domiciled students reflects an egalitarian vision of higher education. It’s a principle that resonates deeply with Scotland’s social values. Yet, whether this vision is fully realised remains a matter of debate.
Cracks Beneath the Surface
Despite these achievements, the sector faces growing strain. Financial challenges threaten stability and excellence. The University of Dundee’s recent difficulties are not isolated; they point to deeper structural issues. At the heart of the problem lies Scotland’s funding model. Free tuition, while socially progressive, leaves universities heavily reliant on income from international students, a market increasingly volatile in a post-pandemic, geopolitically uncertain world.
This dependency creates vulnerability. When global events disrupt student flows, the financial impact is immediate and severe. For institutions that have built their budgets on this model, the question becomes stark: how sustainable is this approach in the long term?
What are universities for?
This financial backdrop sharpens questions of purpose. How can universities reconcile their historic civic mission with the demands of survival, global competition, and rising expectations for social, emotional, and economic outcomes? The massification of higher education, once celebrated as a democratic triumph, has stretched resources, altered student demographics, and raised tough questions about quality and academic standards.
Other challenges cut to the intellectual core:
- How do we safeguard academic freedom in an era of regulated speech?
- What happens when emotional comfort or ideological conformity eclipses intellectual challenge?
- How does corporatisation reshape the truth-seeking mission of the university?
These are not abstract concerns. They shape the daily reality of academic life: what is taught, how research is conducted, and the culture within which ideas are debated.
A sector at a crossroads
This special issue of Scottish Affairs brings together seven papers exploring these urgent questions. The authors, each with deep experience of higher education, map a sector at a crossroads: internationally esteemed, yet under mounting pressure from economic, managerial, and cultural forces. They warn of risks to academic freedom, purpose, and the emergence of an epistemic monoculture.
Recurring themes from the papers include the fragility of academic freedom, the rise of emotional governance and managerial culture, the erosion, and possible recovery, of moral social purpose, and the tension between inclusion and intellectual challenge
What’s striking is that these concerns emerged independently. Contributors had complete freedom in choosing their focus, yet their essays consistently identified the same patterns: managerial dominance, business models intruding into academic life, consumerist cultures, and the loss of purpose. These are not isolated grievances; they signal a systemic malaise demanding honest scrutiny.
What we missed and why it matters
One gap remains: teacher training. The preparation of teachers profoundly shapes the intellectual readiness of students entering higher education. Despite efforts, we couldn’t secure a contribution on this theme, a discussion that must happen soon. If universities are to thrive, they need students equipped not only with skills but with habits of mind that value curiosity, resilience, and critical thought.
Looking ahead
Scotland’s universities remain admired worldwide. But admiration alone won’t secure their future. That future depends on open, honest, and sometimes uncomfortable debate; the kind this special issue seeks to spark. We invite readers to engage with the articles in the spirit of the Scottish Enlightenment, where reasoned disagreement was not a threat but the lifeblood of a free and flourishing intellectual culture. The challenges are real, but so are the opportunities. If Scotland can find a way to balance financial sustainability with intellectual freedom, and civic purpose with global competitiveness, its universities will not only survive, but they will also lead. And that is a future worth fighting for.
About the authors
Sebastian Monteux is a Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing at Abertay University.
Jane Fenton is an Emeritus Professor of Social Work Education.
