Universities in Wales face more than 1,000 skilled jobs being lost because of the withdrawal of EU structural funds, with leaders saying that the replacement finance promised by ministers will not match the lost support.
Since 2014 Welsh universities have received about £370m in research projects from EU structural funds but, after the UK’s withdrawal, its support for 60 ongoing projects will end this year.
Prof Paul Boyle, vice-chancellor of Swansea University and chair of the Universities Wales research and innovation network, told MPs that the projects and the jobs could be saved with an urgent injection of £71m in bridging finance to keep them running.
“Stepping back from the cliff edge would save hundreds of jobs, support a range of cutting-edge innovation projects that are driving economic growth, and provide direct investment in areas that the UK government has stated are at the heart of its own levelling up ambitions,” Boyle said.
