Part of 2. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:49 pm on 15 January 2019.
Llywydd, I want to congratulate Welsh universities on the way in which they have been able to use those sources of funding from the European Union, both those ones that come direct to Wales, but, for example, through the interterritorial co-operation programme that we have with the Republic of Ireland, where our universities have been doing world-leading research, for example, in the marine environment and marine energy. While those sources of funding have been available to us, I think it is completely understandable that our higher education sector has made best use of the funding that is closest to hand. And we know, through the work of the chief scientific advisor to the Welsh Government, that the impact that Welsh universities make with the funding they have in research puts them at the top of the league in terms of best use of that funding. Now, the other side of Brexit, we have said in response to the Reid review that any further consequentials that come our way will be put directly to the Cabinet to discuss to see whether we can strengthen the position of research and innovation here in Wales through our universities. It is a challenge for them, as it's a challenge for us all, to move into that new world, but through the Reid review we have recommendations that we can use to try and make sure that we position ourselves in the strongest way we can.