First Minister John Swinney says funding pressures at Robert Gordon University are in a “completely different category” to crisis-hit Dundee.
The escalating situation at the Tayside institution, where around 632 posts could be axed, has shone a spotlight on financial challenges across Scotland’s universities.
In Aberdeen, RGU Principal Steve Olivier has warned of a “major existential threat” to the sector due to “significant” underfunding.Â
The university is trying to save millions while a redundancy consultation has put more than 130 jobs at risk.
Mr Swinney told the P&J he is “deeply troubled” by the scale of job losses announced at Dundee University as it attempts to plug a £35 million deficit.
‘Completely different’
But speaking during a visit to Aberdeenshire on Wednesday, he said Dundee’s financial pressures were “different”.
He said: “RGU I would put in a completely different category to what we’re facing at the University of Dundee.
“Something acutely destabilising has happened at the University of Dundee and we’ll have to understand what that’s all about.”
Asked about the comments made by Mr Olivier, Mr Swinney said RGU’s funding pressures are more routine while the situation in Dundee is “acute”.
North East Tory MSP Liam Kerr said Mr Swinney “needs to wake up to the reality that it’s not only Dundee University in this dire predicament”.
He added: “Rather than trying to downplay the situation, the first minister must heed the warnings of principals like Professor Steve Olivier and properly resource our universities so they have a sustainable future for years to come.”
In a statement, Prof Olivier told the P&J it is “undeniably an extremely challenging time for the sector”.
He said the financial challenges are caused in part due to the current funding system which “threatens to damage the future prosperity of Scotland”.
The university principal added: “We welcome any future dialogue on this and look forward to further conversations.”
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