FORMER graduates from Scotland’s oldest university - who include Prince William, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and former First Minister Alex Salmond - have been invited to protest over "threats to the autonomy" of the institution.

The influential General Council of St Andrews University, an independent body that represents all the institution's graduates, has appealed to alumni to oppose new governance legislation.

The move comes after SNP ministers published a Bill which introduces a number of measures aimed at reforming the way universities are run.

They include the appointment of trade union members to university ruling Courts and elections for the powerful post of Court chair.

Graham Wynd, convener of the business committee of the General Council of St Andrews, said as many former graduates as possible should oppose the “unnecessary” legislation.

In a message to more than 40,000 alumni he said: “The new legislation will enable the Scottish Government to exercise greater control over the composition and governance of all higher education institutions in Scotland, including the universities and, of course, St Andrews.

“The new legislation.... will burden universities and the public purse with extra regulation and bureaucracy that will stifle enterprise and jeopardise the positive contribution that universities such as St Andrews make to the economy.

“Because this matter is so important, I am taking the unusual step of appealing to members of General Council to write to the Scottish Parliament to express your concerns about the Bill.”

Mr Wynd said the autonomy of the university would be greatly weakened, its academic reputation would suffer and it would lose its edge in a global market to attract the best students and staff if the legislation went ahead.

However, Vonnie Sandlan, president of student body NUS Scotland, described the intervention as a new level of “baseless hyperbole”.

She said: “It’s quite telling, disappointing, but not unsurprising, to see such strong opposition from the usual suspects to ending the status quo on university governance."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Bill's aim is to strengthen governance in Scottish higher education by ensuring membership of governing bodies is balanced, fair and inclusive.

“Far from increasing control, we are simply trying to introduce measures to ensure greater consistency and transparency."

The origins of the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill date back to 2011 when a number of universities, including Glasgow and Strathclyde, brought forward course cuts.

There was a strong feeling from the wider communities these institutions serve that consultations with staff and students were rudimentary and decisions were motivated by economic considerations rather than academic ones.

There have also been long-running concerns over the spiralling salaries of principals and the increasing autonomy of their senior management teams.

St Andrews principal Professor Louise Richardson, who sits on the General Council, has already attacked the legislation.