Unity is our strength why it is vital to stay in the EU
Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West and Labour's East Midlands EU Champion visited the University of Leicester’s new Centre for Medicine, which is part-funded by the European Union.
She met with University President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Boyle, to hear why remaining in the EU is so important for Leicester’s universities.
The Centre for Medicine does cutting-edge research into chronic diseases, improving patient safety and care, and trains the doctors of tomorrow. Costing £42 million in total, it’s the largest investment in medical teaching and applied research by a UK university in the last decade, supported in part from £55 million of funding from the European Investment Bank and Barclays plc.
Over the past five years, our University has received more than £30 million in research grants and contracts from the EU. This includes around £7m to work with small and medium size businesses in the region.
Liz Kendall MP said:
"Britain's universities have the highest success rate for applications for science funding and our students have the freedom to travel, work and study anywhere in Europe.
“The University of Leicester and its students benefit hugely from our membership of the EU. Just last week, the University was ranked one the best in Europe. Remaining in the EU is crucial to ensuring our brilliant universities continue to thrive in the future.”
President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester Professor Paul Boyle said:
“Unity is our strength – leading universities like Leicester are even stronger inside the EU as our membership enhances research and education which, in turn, benefits British people. We know that international collaboration increases the impact of the cutting-edge research we undertake and in a world where many of the challenges we face are global, from cancer to climate change, it is more important than ever that we minimise barriers to working with international partners to share expertise and knowledge. This leads to innovations and discoveries that boost our economy create new jobs and improve people’s lives. It is also vital that our students continue to benefit from being taught by the best minds from across Europe through the European-funded schemes which encourage mobility. I am unequivocal – membership of the EU is good for our universities.”
You can listen to an interview with Liz Kendall and Professor Paul Boyle here:
Click here if you cannot view the Soundcloud player above.