Three leading Principals of Scotland’s universities have written jointly to the Prime Minister to welcome his Government’s work to reach the final stages of a deal on the UK’s association to the Horizon Europe programme. Speculation has been growing that the Prime Minister is set to finalise a proposal over the weekend, to then be formalised in a meeting with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen next Tuesday.
Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, the Convener of Universities Scotland, Sir Paul Grice, the Vice Convener, and Professor Iain Gillespie, the Convener of Universities Scotland’s Research Committee, have backed the reported progress and re-emphasised that association to Horizon is the best outcome for the UK’s research community.
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. Over the last multi-year Horizon programme, Scotland brought in close to €900 million, boosting the nation’s innovation economy.
It is possible for the UK to participate in Horizon Europe, despite now being outside of the EU, if both the UK Government and EU can agree the terms of association. Negotiations resumed in February this year, following resolution of the post-Brexit trade rules governing Northern Ireland, which had been a blocker to further progress on research collaborations.
The letter, signed by three leading Principals, Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, Sir Paul Grice and Professor Iain Gillespie, states:
“We support the UK Government’s ambition to make the UK a science superpower. We understand that the UK Government has a responsibility to secure the best return from investment in international partnerships. Scotland’s higher education community is clear that association to Horizon Europe is the best way to secure this… We wish you every success in the final negotiations to bring home a deal that will further catalyse the impact that research and development has on our economy and society.”
The full text of the letter can be found below.
Dear Prime Minister,
Scotland’s 19 universities and higher education institutions strongly welcome the news that your Government is in the final stages of reaching an agreement with the European Commission on UK association to the Horizon Europe programme.
Scotland and the UK have gained an immense amount from participation in Horizon. As funding is based on excellence, Scotland’s universities have successfully leveraged a high return on the UK’s investment in the programme. Over the last multi-year Horizon programme, Scotland brought in close to €900 million, boosting our innovation economy.
The scale of the resource is significant to Scotland and the UK but it’s also where the investment goes that has a major impact here at home. It funds vital research that changes people’s lives, creates highly skilled jobs, supports emerging industries within our regions; those research and industry clusters then attract further investment from overseas.
Horizon Europe is important to Scotland and the UK because of the access it enables to partnerships across Europe and between universities and industry, which deepens our shared understanding, builds research excellence and elevates the UK’s global standing.
We support the UK Government’s ambition to make the UK a science superpower. We understand that the UK Government has a responsibility to secure the best return from investment in international partnerships. Scotland’s higher education community is clear that association to Horizon Europe is the best way to secure this.
Thank you for your leadership in reaching this point. We wish you every success in the final negotiations to bring home a deal that will further catalyse the impact that research and development has on our economy and society.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Dame Sally Mapstone FRSE
Principal, University of St Andrews
Convener, Universities Scotland
Sir Paul Grice
Principal, Queen Margaret University Edinburgh
Vice Convener, Universities Scotland
Professor Iain Gillespie
Principal, University of Dundee
Convener, Universities Scotland’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee
Further information : Susannah Lane, Head of Public Affairs, Universities Scotland. M : 07715 992908