# Scottish Higher Education: Probably the best higher education in the world?

Yesterday saw the the publication of the first interim report from the [Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on Universities](http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/UniversitiesColleges/16640/hetaskforce) on ['New Horizons: responding to the challenges of the 21st century'](http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/UniversitiesColleges/16640/hetaskforce/newhorizons). Various papers comment on the potential implications of this report for Scotland's universities funding (see 'Related Google News Feed' for examples). As well as outlining a roadmap for a framework for the future of funding the report highlights what the Taskforce sees as the current strengths of Scotland's universities. These include:

- *three Scottish universities in the world’s top 100 research universities*
- *three universities in ranked in the top 10 new universities in the UK*
- *4.3% of Scottish students fail to leave university with a successful outcome (degree, other award or transfer to another educational programme)*

So are we probably the best higher education in the world? [Related Google News Feed](http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ncl=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article4207834.ece&)