The code, drawn up the chairs of Scottish universities¡¯ governing bodies, makes recommendations on issues included the composition of remuneration committees and equality and diversity targets.

Some of the code¡¯s recommendations include:

- Committees should be ¡°careful¡± not to agree to severance payments for staff ¡°which staff, students and the public might reasonably deem excessive¡±

- Remuneration committees should include three independent members

- These committees should produce a report with ¡°sufficient detail of the broad criteria and policies¡± used to award pay levels

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- Governing bodies must establish goals on the ¡°equality and diversity¡± of their composition

- The proceedings of the governing body should only be withheld if they relate to ¡°confidentiality relating to individuals, the wider interest of the Institution or the public interest demands¡±

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The code was drawn up following a recommendation by a report into university governance chaired by Ferdinand von Prondzynski, principal of Robert Gordon University, released in January 2012.

But none of the von Prondzynski report¡¯s most significant recommendations, including quotas for women on governing boards, more staff and student representation on boards, and a ban on bonuses for vice-chancellors, have made it into the draft code.

Robin Parker, chairman of the National Union of Students Scotland, said: ¡°We always said having university chairs making up their own code on governance would risk a weak code. It now seems this risk has been realised.

¡°The original von Prondzynski review came up with a set of recommendations which the sector as a whole signed up to.

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¡°The code of governance was meant to find a way to apply these across the sector. Instead, what we¡¯ve seen is those recommendations being cherry picked and watered down to become almost meaningless in places,¡± Mr Parker added.

The Educational Institute of Scotland, one of the unions that represents academic staff in the country, said that it was ¡°disappointed¡± with the code, ¡°as it seems to offer nothing new to improve HE governance or accountability¡±.

¡°In fact the main aim of the draft code seems to reinforce the autonomy of universities and consolidate existing power structures,¡± a statement from the union said.

Universities Scotland described it as a ¡°progressive code which would set Scotland¡¯s universities at the leading edge of accountable governance amongst all of Europe¡±.

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david.matthews@tsleducation.com