Academy Presidents highlight the risks to academic research if Scotland were to leave the UK

In a letter today, the Presidents of the British Academy, the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences have called for a wider debate on the risks facing academic research if Scotland becomes an independent country.

They said: "We believe that if separation were to occur, research not only in Scotland but also in the rest of the UK would suffer. However, research in Scotland would be more vulnerable and there could be significant reductions in range, capability and critical mass. We have all gained much from integration and interaction in academic and research life, in which Scotland plays such a strong role.”

The full letter can be read here.