It is consistently argued that Britain contributes more to the EU budget then it receives. Yet a large factor of income the UK receives from the EU is research funding.
Of the two major routes by which the EU directly funds research into the UK, Britain is most successful in attracting Framework Programme funding aimed particularly at excellence such as higher education taking in as much as 71% of total funds.
The current Framework Programme is called Horizon 2020 which is managed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Horizon 2020 has a budget of $74.8 billion for the period 2014-2020.
In 2015 the UK received £967 million in research grants findings from the EU. Over the past decade EU funding to the UK as a whole is £8.04 billion.
A report produced by The Royal Society noted that the UK was the second largest recipient of the programme behind Germany who gained a total of £8.34 billion
EU funded research seeks to work collaboratively bringing together expertise from different sectors and countries to share knowledge and expand networks.
Universities UK argued that there are 125,000 EU students at British Universities generating more than £2.2bn for the economy creating over 20,000 jobs. They claim that the research provided by the EU is worth £1bn a year meaning a Brexit vote would substantially hinder this.
Leading leave campaigners have argued that a Brexit vote would not reduce the number of EU students from applying to British Universities. Yet they claim that if the numbers were to decrease, the increase in international fees could help fund gaps in the education sector.
13 UK universities are ranked among the top 25 European Universities with Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College and UCL securing the top 4 spots. The EU accounted for one-fifth of all public funding to research bodies used by Cambridge and Oxford Universities and it is heavily feared that a breakaway from the EU would damage funding made into Science. A Brexit survey revealed that a total of 83% of British scientists oppose Brexit with the Royal Society calling the move a disaster for British Science as the possible risk of increase in international rates and the lack of free movement within the EU will mean it would stop young scientists from migrating freely within Europe.
British Laboratories and research projects rely on a quarter of public research funds. The fear is that a Brexit vote would mean that British research risks being pulled out of the field.
Read more on where UK professionals may go if Britain loses research funding and innovative edge
For more information on the upcoming EU Referendum read our features on:
Supporters line-up for ‘Remain’ and ‘Leave’
Schedule for the vote count night
