Over three-quarters of research grants for Scottish universities come from UK-wide funding, MSPs on the public audit committee heard today (3rd October 2019).
An Audit Scotland report presented to MSPs shows that research grants account for 21 per cent of university funding.
Of that total, 78.6 per cent comes from UK sources – the UK Government (16.7%); UK charities (20.5%); UK industry (6.2%) and the UK Research Council (35.2%).
At the public audit committee, Labour's Anas Sarwar MSP warned of the ‘devastating impact’ of losing UK research funding.
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said:
“Our universities are among the best in the world and the research carried out in these Scottish institutions is delivering transformational change.
“It is astonishing that the SNP is prepared to put research funding in Scotland at risk with its reckless plan to break up the UK.
“Rather than standing up for Scotland, the SNP wants to put our universities at a disadvantage, jeopardising jobs for researchers and opportunities for students.
“The best way to protect and enhance our world-leading universities is by remaining in the UK.”
The committee exchange can be watched at 10.45am here: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/public-audit-and-post-legislative-scrutiny-committee-october-3-2019
The data can be found in exhibit 2 on page 72 of the committee papers here: https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Public_Audit/Meeting%20Papers/Meeting_Papers_for_3_October_PUBLIC.pdf