Universities across Scotland are facing deeper cuts in funding than expected, principals have warned.

Universities Scotland said new statistics for 2019/20 showed real terms cuts of up to 3.2 per cent for some.

Universities facing a real terms cut of two per cent or more include Aberdeen, Abertay Dundee, Dundee, Edinburgh Napier, Heriot-Watt, UHI, Queen Margaret University, St Andrews and Strathclyde.  

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The warning comes after the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) published details of budget allocations for all universities.

The move follows the Scottish Government budget in December where it emerged the sector faced a real terms cut of 1.79 per cent.

Professor Andrea Nolan, convener of Universities Scotland, said: "These funding allocations throw a stark light on the challenging budget outcome for universities.

"Every university faces a real terms cut and half of institutions are facing real term cuts of two per cent or more.

“University funding has already been cut by £127.6 million in real terms since 2014/15 and the sector’s pension bill alone is set to increase by £23m a year.

"Some institutions are likely to struggle to make ends meet, eroding their capacity to deliver fully for Scotland’s success."

Ms Nolan urged the Scottish Government to give more cash to universities to help mitigate "acute financial pressures".

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She added: "We urge it to do so and we urge the Scottish Funding Council to talk to the sector about how they allocate that funding.”

Mary Senior, UCU Scotland official, said the cuts would have damaging consequences for students and staff an already uncertain time.

She said: "If we want a world-leading university system, that is also accessible to students from hard to reach backgrounds, it needs to be properly funded and not hit by further real-terms cuts at a time when other costs are increasing.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said there were always annual variations for individual institutions, but there had been no cash reduction as a whole, with more than £1 billion invested every year since 2012/13.

Education Secretary John Swinney has previously highlighted the ability of universities to raise money for themselves with only 40 per cent of overall funding coming from the public purse.

Karen Watt, chief executive of the SFC added: "Against a backdrop of increasing funding pressures, we are continuing to invest in learning and teaching and research excellence.

"We are also committed to ensuring that our students have the right support to allow them to fulfil their potential at the institutions we fund.”