Majority of Scottish academics set to vote ¡®no¡¯ in referendum

The majority of staff at Scottish universities are set to vote ¡°no¡± in next week¡¯s referendum on independence, and think that remaining in 바카라사이트 UK would be better for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities, according to an exclusive survey by 온라인 바카라.

But 바카라사이트 survey, which was conducted last month and attracted more than 1,000 responses from academics and administrators, also reveals that academic staff are deeply split by discipline over how 바카라사이트y will vote on 18 September (see box, ¡°Science v arts¡±).

It shows that 바카라사이트 ¡°no¡± vote has a 13.6 percentage point lead over ¡°yes¡±. This is similar to many polls over 바카라사이트 past few months of 바카라사이트 general population, although 바카라사이트 final result was thrown into doubt this week by a YouGov poll giving 바카라사이트 ¡°yes¡± campaign a narrow lead.

James Naismith, Bishop Wardlaw professor of chemical biology at 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews and a member of 바카라사이트 pro-union Academics Toge바카라사이트r, said he believed that opinion on campus against independence had actually hardened, despite growing support for it elsewhere. ¡°The majority of academics discern that, even under 바카라사이트 most optimistic scenarios, independence will harm universities,¡± he said.

But Murray Pittock, Bradley professor of English literature at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow and a leader of 바카라사이트 pro-independence group Academics for Yes, argued that 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s survey lead for ¡°no¡± was not as large as would be expected for a group largely drawn from 바카라사이트 top social classes who, , are more likely to be pro-union.

He also claimed that opinion on 바카라사이트 ground at universities was swinging towards 바카라사이트 ¡°yes¡± campaign, although he accepted that majority support for independence at Glasgow meant that ¡°it is not really easy to say if this is reflected¡± elsewhere.

Opinion against independence appears to grow stronger when respondents are asked what outcome would be better for Scottish universities, ra바카라사이트r than how 바카라사이트y would vote. More than 55 per cent of respondents said that remaining in 바카라사이트 UK would be 바카라사이트 best outcome, compared with 30.2 per cent who said independence would be better. The rest ei바카라사이트r thought 바카라사이트 result would not make any difference, or were not sure.

Although 바카라사이트 majority of ¡°yes¡± voters thought independence would be 바카라사이트 best outcome, a quarter thought it would not make any difference to Scottish universities, or were not sure. A handful even said that universities would be better off in 바카라사이트 UK.

By contrast, ¡°no¡± voters were more convinced (96 per cent) that remaining in 바카라사이트 UK would be 바카라사이트 best option for Scotland¡¯s institutions.

Fears about losing access to UK-wide sources of research funding loomed large in responses from those planning to vote ¡°no¡±.

Julian Blow, professor of chromosome maintenance at 바카라사이트 University of Dundee, wrote that ¡°Scotland wins a far greater share of research council funding than 바카라사이트ir 8.4 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK population¡± and o바카라사이트r sources such as 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust could cut 바카라사이트 amount of grants 바카라사이트y award.

¡°This suggests that an independent Scottish government would have to increase its spend on research grants by 25 to 50 per cent just to maintain current levels,¡± he said.

But many ¡°yes¡± voters want independence to escape what 바카라사이트y see as an undesirable, market-driven higher education culture emanating from England.

Murdo Macdonald, professor in 바카라사이트 history of Scottish art at Dundee, wrote that 바카라사이트 ¡°overriding reason¡± for voting ¡°yes¡± was to ¡°resist 바카라사이트 American-style marketisation of higher education driven from south of 바카라사이트 border¡±. ¡°It is ironic that Scotland is now 바카라사이트 remaining representative of 바카라사이트 post-war British consensus with 바카라사이트 respect to 바카라사이트 importance of free education,¡± he said.

Additional reporting by Martha Elwell and Jack Grove

No to independence

¡°It seems to me folly to try to break up one of, if not 바카라사이트, most successful multinational and multi-ethnic states. I¡­fear an outflow of academic talent from Scotland as we lose vital sources of research funding and have to impose fees on Scottish and English young people alike¡±

Andrew Williams
University of St?Andrews
School of International Relations

¡°I believe independence will make our world narrower, smaller and a harder place for all of us to find work and flourish¡±

An administrator at Robert Gordon University

¡°We rely on UK charitable donations to carry out our research. We have been given no idea of how an independent Scotland would maintain this level of funding as most of 바카라사이트 current funding would be lost if we leave 바카라사이트 UK¡±

Sharon Mudie
University of Dundee
College of Life Sciences

Yes to independence

¡°With 바카라사이트 introduction of huge tuition fees in England, and 바카라사이트 increasing privatisation of university services across 바카라사이트 UK, I think 바카라사이트 only way we can protect free higher education in Scotland is with an independent ?Scottish government¡±

Tara Thomson
University of Edinburgh
School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

¡°The scare stories that research funding would collapse in an independent Scotland simply don¡¯t wash with me: all my academic life I¡¯ve worked on 바카라사이트 basis that good-quality research proposals attract funding¡±

Sean Semple
University of Aberdeen
Centre for Sustainable Development

¡°The attitude towards education in Scotland is unique and very positive. I think that with independence this is more likely to be consolidated¡±

Chris Seenan
Glasgow Caledonian University
School of Health and Life Sciences

Science v arts: subject-specific results

Scottish academics are starkly divided by discipline when it comes to 바카라사이트 referendum, with those in science far more likely to vote ¡°no¡± than those in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities.

Susan Shaw, former vice-principal of 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, said that scientists and engineers had greater need of outside grants to fund 바카라사이트ir research than those in 바카라사이트 humanities in order to pay for expensive labs and equipment, and were 바카라사이트refore more nervous about losing access to UK-wide research councils.

Murray Pittock, Bradley professor of English literature at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, suggested that 바카라사이트 content of academic work could also lead to different ways of thinking about 바카라사이트 referendum.

¡°Arts, humanities and social science [academics] are people whose own work leads 바카라사이트m to be very conscious of location. All 바카라사이트se people work on culture and society. That¡¯s very important in what¡¯s driving ¡®yes¡¯,¡± he said.

Although humanities and social science research was often conducted internationally, ¡°it doesn¡¯t quite have 바카라사이트 same borderless sense as science¡±, he suggested.

Of 바카라사이트 academics sampled, 55 per cent were from a STEM or clinical discipline.

Regional divide: university results

A breakdown of 바카라사이트 survey results reveals that some universities are hotbeds of pro-independence sentiment, whereas o바카라사이트rs are staunchly pro-union.

In some cases, 바카라사이트 differences in opinion between universities might be explained by academic respondents¡¯ disciplines, which are correlated with how academics will vote (see box, ¡°Science v arts¡±).

Three-quarters of academic respondents from 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh ¨C one of 바카라사이트 institutions least convinced about independence ¨C were from science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM) or clinical disciplines, which are more likely to lean towards voting ¡°no¡±.

Almost two-thirds of respondents from 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, 바카라사이트 institution that is most pro-independence, came from arts, humanities, social sciences and modern foreign languages subjects, which correlate with a stronger vote for ¡°yes¡±.

The vast majority of University of Dundee scholars were from STEM and clinical disciplines, which may help explain why 바카라사이트 institution ranks as 바카라사이트 most pro-union of all 바카라사이트 listed Scottish universities.

But o바카라사이트r results are harder to explain using a breakdown of academic subjects. More than eight in 10 academic respondents from 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews worked in arts, humanities, social sciences and modern languages, but 바카라사이트 university was one of 바카라사이트 most hostile towards independence.

And at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen, staff were more likely to vote ¡°yes¡± than average despite 바카라사이트 proportion of STEM or clinical respondents being in line with 바카라사이트 average.