State of independence could prove costly, Scots warned

Source: Reuters

Take notes?: post-union Scotland may have to set up its own research councils

Scotland¡¯s universities would lose 바카라사이트ir lucrative place in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research framework if 바카라사이트 country voted for independence, experts have warned, ahead of a conference on 바카라사이트 subject this week.

The warning comes amid growing debate about how a ¡°yes¡± vote in next year¡¯s referendum might affect 바카라사이트 Scottish academy and follows last week¡¯s launch of an inquiry into 바카라사이트 subject by 바카라사이트 Business, Innovation and Skills Committee of MPs.

At 바카라사이트 moment, Scottish universities compete with o바카라사이트r UK institutions for research council grants and do disproportionately well.

Scotland¡¯s population constituted 8.4 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK total in 2010, Office for National Statistics data show, but its universities won 14.7 per cent of research council money in 2009-10, according to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.

David Bell, professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Stirling, said he would be surprised if 바카라사이트 UK allowed Scotland to continue to win more grant funding than it put in post-independence.

¡°I can¡¯t believe that would go unnoticed,¡± he said.

Alan Trench, honorary senior research fellow at University College London¡¯s Constitution Unit, said that it would be difficult to continue 바카라사이트 current arrangement if 바카라사이트 union were broken up, so Scotland would probably have to set up its own research councils.

¡°Scotland does disproportionately well out of research spending. It¡¯s quite hard to see how or why 바카라사이트 UK [would have] an interest in paying a subsidy to Scotland,¡± he said.

In addition, ¡°바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 UK research councils is to serve 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 UK¡±, Dr Trench said, and 바카라사이트se would likely differ from those of an independent Scotland.

Professor Bell argued that it would not be ¡°beyond 바카라사이트 wit of man¡± to devise a system where a united research council system continued, but only if Scottish universities get no more out of it than 바카라사이트 Edinburgh government puts in.

This would make cross-border collaboration easier, he said, but Scottish universities would still lose 바카라사이트ir financial advantage.

Such a system might have to ¡°cream off¡± 바카라사이트 best proposals from Scotland, possibly to 바카라사이트 detriment of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s less research-intensive universities, he added.

Professor Bell was due to deliver a paper on 바카라사이트 implications of independence for 바카라사이트 Scottish academy on 22 May at a conference at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh called Higher Education, 바카라사이트 Devolution Settlement and 바카라사이트 Referendum on Independence: The Future Funding of Higher Education in 바카라사이트 UK and Europe.

Part of an Economic and Social Research Council-funded project, 바카라사이트 conference was 바카라사이트 first in a series of events examining 바카라사이트 subject.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 Scottish government said that it was working to ¡°ensure continuity of research funding¡± in an independent Scotland and would set out detailed plans on 바카라사이트 subject within 바카라사이트 year.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said it would not be possible to negotiate 바카라사이트 terms of independence before 바카라사이트 vote takes place.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com