Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell yesterday urged universities and colleges to recruit more women to senior positions.

And UCU, the biggest union representing Scottish university lecturers, has called for new and stronger rules on governance to create “better gender balance and more democracy on governing bodies.”

SNP minister Mr Russell urged action by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), which funds colleges and universities, to “address the under-representation of women on the governing bodies of colleges and universities” and at “higher levels” among staff.

He also demanded moves towards gender equality on courses: “I want a renewed focus on reducing gender segregation in participation — too many college and university courses are dominated by either men or women.”

On the first anniversary of a new code of governance in Scotland, UCU warned that there was “unfinished business to improve how universities are run and to ensure better accountability and transparency at the top level of decision making.” 

UCU Scotland president David Anderson said: “We will continue to campaign to give more say to staff and student governors on issues such as principals’ pay, for better gender balance on governing bodies and for more democracy within governing bodies.”

He urged the Scottish government to “bring forward new legislation to do this.”

Mr Russell’s gender guidance came in a letter to Professor Alice Brown, chairwoman of the SFC, outlining a budget for 2015-16 of £1.06 billion for universities. Colleges should receive just over £525 million, with a further £36m set aside for capital funding for higher and further education.

But Mr Russell said while he was increasing funding he expected the university sector to continue to make a minimum one per cent efficiency savings over the year.