Scotland’s universities received huge amounts of EU funding (far more than our population share alone would entitle us to) because of the excellence of our scientific research. Just one example is that since 2010, the Human Genetics Unit and Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine (IGMM) at the University of Edinburgh had been awarded, or collaborated in, European grants with a value of €15.9 million. These have been used to investigate melanoma (skin cancer), gene regulation and novel drug development. EU funding helped Scottish scientists to continue Scotland’s tradition of world-leading research into public health.[1]
Access to such funding was clearly of major benefit and encouraged international collaboration which would not be as effective if Scotland were to remain outside the EU.
[2] ‘The Impact of EU membership in Scotland’, SPICE, October 2015.
[3] ‘The Benefits of Scotland’s EU Membership’, The Scottish Government, 2015.