Cutting ourselves out of the worlds largest economic bloc would undermine our position as a global leader in science and innovation
President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Boyle (pictured) has joined 95 other UK university Vice-Chancellors in outlining why universities are stronger in Europe.
In an open letter to British voters written for The Independent, Professor Boyle joins a wide number of Vice-Chancellors in discussing the impact of universities to local economies and how our membership of the EU enhances this positive impact and makes our outstanding universities even stronger.
The letter states: "Inside the EU, we are better able to work collaboratively on ground-breaking research in areas from cancer to climate change. EU membership supports British universities to attract the brightest and best minds from across Europe, enhancing university research and teaching and contributing to economic growth.
"Voluntarily cutting ourselves out of the world’s largest economic bloc would undermine our position as a global leader in science and innovation, impoverish our campuses and limit opportunities for British people.
"We believe that leaving Europe would create a difficult environment for the long-term investment in higher education and research that is necessary for the UK to maintain its position as a highly skilled and a globally competitive knowledge economy."