ACROSS the pond, Donald Trump’s administration is cracking down on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives both at a federal government level and in higher education institutions.
DEI initiatives are strategies used in organisations to promote equality in the workplace and to ensure varied representation and equal access to opportunities.
Since coming into office for a second term, Trump has signed several executive orders targeting DEI initiatives both in federal agencies and higher education institutions.
The Trump administration has also threatened to withdraw funding from US universities which do not align with its ideology, such as those which have DEI initiatives.
Elite universities such as Harvard are at particular risk. The Trump administration announced on Monday that the university would receive no new federal grants unless it meets a series of demands, including banning DEI practices and addressing claims of antisemitism on campus during pro-Palestine protests.
It comes after the education department froze $2.2 billion in federal grants, leading the university to sue the federal government. A university spokesperson said the institution would not bow down to the demands and would “continue to defend against illegal government overreach”.
Are Scottish universities at risk from Trump’s DEI crackdown?
US universities are being threatened with the withdrawal of federal funding, which universities in Scotland do not receive.
However, some Scottish universities receive funding from US agencies, such as through research grants and academic exchanges.
Last month, PoliticsHome reported that universities in the UK which receive funding from the US are being asked by the Trump administration to fill out surveys confirming the projects they are working on do not concern or contain elements of DEI.
The National is not aware of any instances where this has taken place in Scotland, although several Scottish universities do receive funding from US agencies, particularly where there are more American students.
We investigated the risk posed at universities in Scotland which have the highest proportion of students from the US.
The University of St Andrews has the highest proportion of US students, with an average of 17.7% across the last five years. In the 2023/24 academic year – the most recent data available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) – 18.5% of the university’s population (a total of 2200 students) came from the US.
Although the university did not respond when approached for comment, it is reported to have received substantial funding from US agencies, including the US defence department.
Between 2012 and 2022, The Scotsman reports that the university received $42.37m (£34m) in grants, contributions or research and development contracts, which include a project on naval sonar signals and a study into the “physiological costs” of diving.
The University of Edinburgh received $11.2m (£9m) in funding for research into lead-based ballistic modifiers, a study into “amorphous explosives” and the use of 3D printed wearable biosensors, while the University of Glasgow received $9.4m (£7.5m) for research into the manoeuvrability of compound helicopters – a hybrid of a helicopter and an airplane – an analysis of the radar signature of small drone swarms, and cognitive science research into “human performance enhancement”.
Other Scottish universities which received funding from the US defence department in the same period are: Strathclyde ($5.8m/£4.6m); Heriot-Watt ($976k/£783k); Aberdeen ($411k/£330k); Robert Gordon ($70k/£56k); and Dundee ($17k/$13k).
Some of the projects remain ongoing and are not due to be completed until this year.
St Andrews also receives funding for various scholarships, awards and summer programmes for US students and academics through the Fulbright Scholarship, a US government-sponsored programme which offers grants to US citizens to study, research or teach in more than 160 countries, and for international citizens to come to the US for similar opportunities. The Fulbright programme is in place at St Andrews, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier, Glasgow, Stirling and Strathclyde universities.
In February, the US administration temporarily froze funding for Fulbright and other international exchange programmes in an effort to cut government spending and crackdown on DEI initiatives. Although no instances have been reported in Scotland, the Guardian reports that Helsinki University in Finland has altered the descriptions for Fulbright grants to remove or change the words “equitable society”, “inclusive societies” and “climate change”.
While a relatively small institution, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) has the second largest proportion of students from the US, with 5.7% of its student population coming from America. In 2023/24, the RCS had 1220 students, 65 of whom were from the US (5.3% of total students).
A spokesperson for RCS told The National that the university does not receive any funding from US agencies and was not aware of any instances where staff were asked to fill out surveys on DEI initiatives.
An RCS spokesperson said: “RCS is committed to being an inclusive and safe environment for all who study and work here.”
The university did not respond when asked if it had been impacted by the crackdown on DEI in the US.
Alongside the funding from the US defence department, Edinburgh University also participates in the Fulbright programme, and in 2024 partnered with Leidos, a defence and technology company based in the US. While the partnership is managed by subsidiary company Leidos UK and Europe, it is owned and controlled by the US parent company, which receives funding from the US federal government.
The university with the fourth largest proportion of US students is the University of Glasgow, with an average of 2.3% of students coming from America. In the last academic year this figure sat at 2.6%, with 1000 of its students coming from the US.
With the exception of defence funding, there is limited public information about the funding Glasgow receives from US agencies, although it is also a participant in the Fulbright programme. The university did not respond when approached for comment.
There is currently no information to indicate that American students who receive federal loans to study in Scotland are being impacted by the Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI.
Universities in Scotland are legally required to have policies which promote equality, diversion and inclusion in place, primarily through the Equality Act 2010.
Universities Scotland, the representative body for the country’s higher education institutions, told The National that equality and diversity is a “statutory responsibility” for universities.
The body acknowledged that “external geopolitical events” may pose a risk to university finances and called on the Scottish Government to provide core public funding to mitigate this.
A Universities Scotland spokesperson said: “Ensuring equality and diversity is a statutory responsibility for universities, as well as a core value and academic freedom has legal protection in Scottish and UK statutes.
“Our higher education institutions aim to create a culture of respect and belonging and have long-standing commitments to challenging prejudices and championing diversity.
“Many external geopolitical events pose a risk to university finances and their wider operating environments.
“In a world that is becoming increasingly volatile it is vital that core public funding from the Scottish Government offers our institutions financial sustainability to help mitigate this risk.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “International students are welcome in Scotland and they make an important contribution to our campuses and local communities.
“The Scottish Government recognises the vital role that universities make to Scotland’s economy and wider society, which is why we are investing over £1.1bn in university teaching and research in 2025-26.
“We have also made an additional £25m available through the Scottish Funding Council to support universities facing financial challenges due to external pressures.”
