A LEADING business figure has defended controversial proposals by a Scottish university to cut a raft of courses.

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, described the cuts as “not life-threatening” to the university.

And he said it was “no surprise” that universities facing funding cuts should decide to retain their strongest courses and choose to “lose the weakest”.

The comments from Mr Patrick, a former senior commercial director at Scottish Enterprise, come after the university’s ruling Court agreed to put off a decision on the cuts until June.

The university said the delay would allow more time for consultation on the proposals, which could see cuts to courses such as modern languages, nursing and adult education.

Professor Anton Muscatelli, the university principal, also said the delay reflected the wishes of the academic community, which said last month that no decisions should be taken until after a new Scottish Government was elected in May.

Despite the public uproar over the plans, resulting in student demonstrations and unrest among staff, Mr Patrick said Glasgow was simply reacting to cuts in public funding.

“Surely by now we all appreciate that any organisation, however august, that has a significant stream of public sector funding now has to make unpleasant decisions to keep its budgets balanced,” he said.

“Every university in the UK is having to make strategic decisions, and, from a business perspective, it can be no surprise they are deciding to retain their strongest courses and lose the weakest. It is controversial and some people are not happy, but it is hardly a case of a life-threatening crisis at the university.”

Mr Patrick said the wider community of Glasgow and its economy could even benefit from the “strategic choices” being made – although he did raise a case for German language to be retained.

“I have heard some comments that it makes sense for the university to reduce its activity in areas where other institutions in the city are already strong,” he said.

“It’s when we face losing a course that is not duplicated anywhere else in the city that it becomes more of a concern. German is a case in point.”

Meanwhile, Mr Muscatelli sent a message to staff explaining the verdict of Court to delay a decision.

He said that a number of consultation panels had been making good progress and they were close to sharing draft reports with the academics concerned.

But he added: “A number of other panels feel more time is required to complete the process, and to consider all the material which has been submitted to them from colleagues and students.

“Accordingly, Court has agreed to a recommendation from the senior management group that the timetable for consultation should be prolonged.”

He added: “This longer timetable also has the benefit of ensuring that Senate’s resolution, approved at its March meeting, regarding the timing of decisions on the basis of the consultation is taken account of.”

Last month, members of Senate, which has responsibility for all academic matters, passed a motion stating: “That no decisions relating to academic subject areas are made by Court ... until after the policy of the Scottish Government for public funding of universities in Scotland is clarified following the election in May.”

This call was endorsed by Michael Russell, the Education Secretary, who said it was too soon to make decisions when future funding of higher education would not be known until after the election.