STUDENT leaders have attacked proposals for a new code of conduct for Scottish universities arguing it does not go far enough.

The concerns are raised in an open letter to the Scottish Parliament's Education Committee which is taking evidence on the draft code next week. Carla Fyfe, president of Glasgow Caledonian students' association, said: "We are calling on the committee to look closely at whether these proposals will result in any meaningful improvements in the involvement of students and their representatives in university governance.

"Student representatives in Scotland have long recognised the need to ensure transparency and account-ability in university decision-making.

"We call on the committee to question whether the process of self-regulation has resulted in any meaningful difference to the current system."

However, a spokeswoman for Universities Scotland, which represents principals, said the code would take Scotland's universities a "significant and progressive" step forward.

"It would give students a new role in the appraisal of university principals and would ensure student members of governing bodies are involved in setting the institution's policies and procedures for determining senior staff pay," she said.