Edinburgh University wants you to vote to stay in the EU

Edinburgh University has decided to publicly support staying in the EU .

In the lead up to the EU referendum on 23rd June, the university has come to the decision that leaving the EU would have a negative effect on the university and its students.

The decision, made the University Court (the UoEs highest governing body), was based on the fact that Edinburgh benefits highly by being inside the EU.

The university receives £45 million of research funding from the EU and, according to Jonny Ross-Tatam, EUSA president, this research funding would be in doubt if Britain was the leave the EU.

Jonny Ross-Tatam is nearing the end of his term as EUSA president

Tatam also pointed to the fact that 4,500 non-UK EU students rely on access to funding from Student Awards Agency For Scotland (SASS), while another 1,100 students participate in the EU’s Erasmus study/volunteer/work aboard programmes every year. Both SASS and Erasmus would come under threat should the LEAVE campaign be successful.

Tatam did admit that maintaining some of these benefits outside the EU would “not necessarily be impossible”.

“At the same time, the outcomes of any renegotiation would be uncertain. Staying in the EU, however, guarantees continued access of these benefits”.