FROM Aberystwyth, where the first chair of International Politics was established in 1919, to Cardiff University, where there has been ground-breaking work on the causes of asthma, Welsh universities have always led the way.

This success is being built on by the European Union. Over the period of 2007-2013 Welsh Universities received £183.4 million from the EU for research projects in Wales, an amount likely to be exceeded in 2014-2020.

EU support has helped Welsh Universities to invest in new facilities. In the recent Research Excellence Framework Review, 30 per cent of research from Welsh Universities was judged to be world leading, up from 14 per cent in 2008. This research also has a great impact beyond the walls of our universities, providing a technological edge for our companies, boosting jobs and growth.

Across Wales there are many university projects that simply wouldn't be possible without EU support.

The EU invested almost £100 million in the new Swansea University Science and Innovation campus providing a cutting edge facility that will work with local businesses to give them a real advantage in the marketplace.

In Aberystwyth, the new Innovation and Diffusion campus is being underwritten by £20 million of EU Funding. This campus will generate research to help businesses succeed.

A similar goal is being pursued in Bangor where the Menai Science Park will provide environmental and IT research. And in Cardiff, researchers will use the new state of the art CUBRIC centre to help deal with brain damage and illness, again underwritten by £4.5 million of EU funding.

EU students also contribute £24 million to our universities through tuition fees and other payments; they also spent £71 million off campus in our shops and businesses. These students would find it much harder to come here if we were outside of the EU.

In Wales we have always known the value of good education.

In the late 19th century, miners in Bangor pooled their earnings to help set up Bangor University. They understood, as we do now, that our universities are not separate from our communities. Welsh universities generated £4.6bn for the Welsh economy and sustained 46,554 jobs in 2013-2014 alone. They are being empowered by the EU and they in turn are empowering our communities.

Our universities are thriving. If we vote to leave the EU, our universities will suffer, meaning a poorer education for people who go on to higher education and less money for our world class research. We cannot forget what the Bangor miners knew, that education is the key to our future.

We cannot let our brightest lights go out.

Derek Vaughan

Member of the European Parliament

Wales