Free travel to Demo, courtesy of EUSA

Students from Edinburgh are to join an 'unprecedented’ protest against education cuts to be held in London next month.

The demonstration will respond to spending cuts announced last week in the Comprehensive Spending Review and is part of the unions’ strategy to influence the Coalition Government with the belief that education is linked to the lives of individuals, families and communities and that education and skills play a key part in the UK’s future economic recovery.

The Spending Review announced that the university teaching budget will be axed by 40 per cent. To make up some of the shortfall, universities in England will determine the costs of tuition fees, with elite universities potentially charging fees beyond the means of many from less privileged backgrounds.

EUSA held a rally last Thursday in Bristo Square to promote the bus they are running to London to join the DEMOLITION protest planned jointly by the NUS and the University and College Union (UCU) on 14 November.

Emily, a EUSA member campaigning at the rally, said: “The protest’s important because the severity of the cuts placed on universities is ridiculous. Some think England will be the worst affected but it will affect Scottish institutions as well.”

Scottish students face increasing competition as rising tuition fees elsewhere will mean a greater demand for university places in Scotland exacerbated by the Scottish government having already placed a cap on the number of successful applicants.

UCAS figures show a 10 per cent drop in people accepted to study at Scottish institutions, the biggest drop in the UK, this is despite the number of funded places remaining fairly static though the cap may tighten with the anticipated 7 per cent (in revenue funds) reduction in Scotland’s budget over the next few years.

Organisers are confident that the campaign will have an impact. Hugh Murdoch, the campaign’s Regional Organiser for Lothian, said: “We’ve spoken to loads of students and expect to fill the bus, there’s even the possibility of booking a second bus if funding is available.

"A cut as big as 40 per cent to the teaching budget is something that people really care about and awareness of this is important for getting people involved in the campaign.

"The cut will have a massive impact on the university experience; the review specifically targets universities in England but it’s a forecast of what’s to come in Scotland’s future."