The Minister for Higher Education and Further Education Graeme Dey has announced an additional £5.8 million to support research and innovation in Scotland’s universities, to be spent in financial year 2023/24.
We warmly welcome this funding boost, which will support universities to continue to thrive in their world-leading research and the wider economic impact this makes to Scotland.
Commenting on this announcement, Professor Stephen Decent, Convener of our Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee has said:
“Scottish Universities contribute significantly to the economy, and we welcome this strategic decision from the Scottish Government to pass the Regional Innovation Fund onto the sector in recognition of that vital work. This investment will also provide our universities more opportunities to support the Scottish Government’s Innovation Strategy, giving them an important advantage in research and innovation.”
Notes:
- The Scottish Funding Council allocates the resources to Scottish institutions. You can find further details in the Scottish Funding Council’s news story and the allocation of funds.
- This resource was originally generated through the UK Government’s Regional Innovation Fund, and announced in October 2023, with £5.5 million allocated to Scotland’s universities as part of a total UK package of £60 million.
- However, the resource is allocated at the Scottish Government’s discretion with no requirement to invest it as intended by the UK Government.
- As this resource has to be spent in financial year 2023/24 it has no bearing on the Scottish Government’s budget or allocations to universities for financial year 2024/25, as announced in December 2023.