Scottish universities outperform UK, says survey

Graduates leaving Scottish universities are more likely to come out with first-class honours than those in other parts of the UK, new figures have revealed.

According to research from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 16% of university leavers from Scottish higher-education facilities will attain a first-class honours degree, The Herald reports.

However, only 13% of students in Northern Ireland achieve the same feat, as do 12% of graduates in England and 11% of those leaving institutions in Wales.

Universities Scotland told the publication that the length of the degree in Scotland is one of the reasons behind the result, stating: 'We believe one of the factors in these results is that the Scottish four-year degree gives students more time to develop.

'Current debate about degree structures must not lose sight of the fact that quality is what counts for Scottish students and the wider Scottish economy.'

The overall number of enrolments into higher-education institutions for the UK during the 2006-7 academic year increased by 1% compared to the previous 12 months.