The graduate contribution

The changed funding landscape of higher education in the English sector of the UK has led to the argument that students will select courses of study in terms of a cost-benefit analysis of their employability opportunities and earning potential. However, in Scotland the position is different, and although free at present for Scottish and European Union (EU) students, English students will nonetheless have to pay around £9000 per annum to study in Scotland. This anomalous situation has led some to argue that this position is unsustainable and that some form of graduate contribution from Scottish and/or EU students will be required. It is therefore timely to consider not only what financial contribution students ought to make but also what their contribution is in terms of the graduate attributes they develop and their worth to society. These issues are discussed with respect to the investment made in modernising the curriculum in Scottish higher education. It is argued that Scotland’s tradition of a generalist higher education provision provides benefits not only for Scottish students but also for EU students looking to develop a broad range of skills that enable them to understand and tackle global issues.