The Scottish Government has today, Wednesday 30 April, published a paper entitled Scotland’s Future Higher Education Research in an Independent Scotland.
In response to publication of the paper Professor Pete Downes, Convener, Universities Scotland said:
“We welcome the publication of today’s paper which builds on the statements made on university research in the white paper and recognises the diverse excellence of Scotland’s research.
“We welcome a clear commitment to maintaining or bettering levels of research funding and the strong affirmation of the Haldane Principle, which keeps the focus of university research independent of Government. Both issues are of great importance to our universities.
“Scotland benefits strongly from a diverse, collaborative and excellent university research base. We are pleased that recognition of the importance of this is common ground between the proponents of different constitutional options.
“In setting out their different views on Scotland’s constitutional future both the Scottish and UK Governments have strongly affirmed the world-leading quality of the research we have here and what that delivers economically, socially and culturally for Scotland and for the rest of the UK. Such unequivocal commitment has been crucial to the sector’s ability to get on and deliver business as usual ahead of the referendum.
“Universities Scotland does not have a preferred constitutional outcome; it is for the people of Scotland to decide our constitutional future”