TARGETS to boost the number of poorer students at Scottish universities will be missed by twenty years at the current rate of progress, according to new figures.
The Scottish Government wants to see 20 per cent of available higher education places filled by students from the 20% most deprived communities by 2030.
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However, since 2007/08 progress has been considerably slower than the required rate with the proportion moving from some 12 per cent to 14 per cent. Projections suggest it will take until 2050 to achieve the milestone.
Student body NUS Scotland, which compiled the figures, called for urgent action to improve fair access enabled by investment from the Scottish Government.
The body also wants to see the speedy appointment of a Scottish Fair Access Commissioner, a recommendation of the recent government-commissioned Commission on Widening Access, to lead the changes.
Vonnie Sandlan, president of NUS Scotland, said: "When the commission released its report we welcomed it as a strong challenge to all of us who want to see bold and radical improvements in fair access to higher education.
"A key part of that challenge was the targets the commission presented to improve fair access between students from the most and least deprived communities by 2030.
"However, as these figures show we're a long way from meeting those targets, and on the basis of recent trends they won't be met until two decades after the point at which they should have been."
A spokesman for lecturers' union UCU Scotland echoed the NUS call for movement on the recommendations of the commission, including the appointment of a commissioner.
He said: "There is a degree of unanimity on what needs to be done following the good work of the commission and the sooner we can get round to dealing with Scotland's poor record on widening access the better."
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already admitted the Scottish Government has not made sufficient progress in its drive to get more students from deprived backgrounds into university.
In June she said figures had showed a modest improvement, but added: "I have made it clear that, although we are making progress, I do not think that that progress is going far enough or fast enough."
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said the latest statistics showed 1,340 18-year-olds from the 20 per cent most deprived areas had already secured a place at university this year, an increase of nine per cent compared to 2015.
She said: "This continues the trend of progress over recent years, but the gap remains too wide. That is why we are committed to implementing the bold agenda for change laid out by the commission. An early priority is the appointment of a Commissioner for Fair Access."
Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, said the key to progress was getting more pupils from poorer backgrounds to apply to higher education.
He said: "We want to create as many opportunities as possible for students with the potential to succeed whatever their background and, for that, we need to see far greater number of underrepresented students applying to university. We will work with schools to make this happen.
"Since the commission reported in the spring, principals have been working on a number of different actions that directly address a number of the recommendations.
"We're finalising our plans and intend to start work this autumn. Universities will have a number of concrete actions ready to discuss with the commissioner as soon as he or she is announced."
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The Scottish Government has made it a priority to widen access to university after figures have showed slower progress is being made here compared to universities south of the Border.
Critics of the current system argue it disadvantages bright pupils from poorer backgrounds because they have little or no family experience of higher education, will not have been given private tutoring and may not be able to access Advanced Highers. In contrast, many of those from middle class areas or who go to private school have spent years preparing for university.
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