As a retired academic I would like to to make a special plea for people to support higher and further education by voting to remain.
During my career I was involved in teaching in both sectors, had responsibilities in a business school, and was involved in the funding of higher education in Wales. In addition I was a trade union activist throughout, at all levels of my union including a UK negotiator.
Over that period of time this sector of education became increasingly international. Not just in relation to students but totally in relation to research. All academic disciplines and knowledge are now international.
In Wales higher and further education is a major employer, it is the among the largest 'industry’ and in many of our towns, makes a major contribution to new high value industries as well as being a world leader in key areas of research.
Being part of the EU has enabled the UK to play a full role in this process. Wales, as the rest of the UK, is highly integrated into systems of student and staff exchange, like ERASMUS. Overseas student income basically keeps many of our Welsh universities going.
Possibly even more significant is the E70bn EU 2014-20 research fund, one of the largest single projects of the EU, which integrates research endeavour across the EU and which in many areas, universities in Wales and the rest of the UK take the lead. Consequently, our universities draw down a significant part of this fund running at £836m alone in 2014-15. Outside the EU applications for this funding and to the European Research Council will become very difficult and UK universities will lose their leading role.
For higher and further education in Wales to continue to flourish for the sake of all of us, we have to be part of the EU.
Please don't allow our lead and this great potential to be put in jeopardy.
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