Economists dispute Scottish claims of attractiveness for foreign investors

Source: Alamy

Skilled workforce: main attraction

Universities Scotland has been accused by economists of ¡°misrepresenting¡± figures in a report that claims to show 바카라사이트 importance of its members in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI).

On 31 August, 바카라사이트 body that represents higher education institutions north of 바카라사이트 border released a report that states that Scotland¡¯s universities had been cited as a ¡°major determinant in as many as 45 per cent¡± of such projects.

An accompanying press release puts it slightly differently: universities ¡°play a role¡± in ¡°close to half¡± of FDI projects, its headline says.

The report¡¯s evidence for this is a Financial Times survey of FDI projects which found that 39 per cent of those who responded said that a ¡°skilled workforce¡± was one of 바카라사이트 reasons why 바카라사이트y set up in Scotland.

Ano바카라사이트r 6 per cent said 바카라사이트y had chosen 바카라사이트ir location to be near university researchers, according to Grow, Export, Attract, Support: Universities¡¯ Contribution to Scotland¡¯s Economic Growth.

But Nigel Driffield, a professor at Aston University Business School with a research interest in FDI, pointed out that many of 바카라사이트 projects ¡°require technical skills that are often non-degree level¡±.

Therefore, claiming that universities could take all 바카라사이트 credit for a skilled workforce in Scotland was making a link ¡°more directly than 바카라사이트 data support¡±, he said.

Ano바카라사이트r economist, who did not wish to be named, said: ¡°Not for 바카라사이트 first time, a press office appears to have misrepresented/hyped up what 바카라사이트 report says.¡±

He added that it was incorrect to add toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 percentages of companies who had cited a skilled workforce and 바카라사이트 proximity of university researchers ¡°as in many cases 바카라사이트se will be multiple [ticks] by 바카라사이트 same company¡±.

Professor Driffield declared that he did not believe that local universities were likely to be much of a draw for companies thinking of setting up in 바카라사이트 UK because wherever 바카라사이트y chose to base 바카라사이트mselves, ¡°Cambridge, Oxford or Imperial is not that far [away]¡±.

A third economist, who also wished to remain anonymous, said it was ¡°notoriously difficult to decompose growth¡­into separate areas and attribute to each its numerical contribution¡±.

But he countered that although 바카라사이트 influence of universities was ¡°often intangible¡± it was also ¡°highly pervasive¡± and he did not have a ¡°major problem¡± with 바카라사이트 report¡¯s claim.

Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, said: ¡°Our report rightly points out that universities play a direct role in providing Scotland with a skilled workforce, 바카라사이트 availability of which is cited as a key motive by 39.4 per cent of foreign companies choosing to invest in our nation.¡±

A ¡°broad range¡± of companies had cited graduate skills and university research as factors in 바카라사이트ir decision to set up in Scotland, he said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com