Alastair Sim, Universities Scotland, made the point to us that a large amount of how we respond to the pandemic is going to be through research, and the need therefore for having a “vibrant world-class research base”.246 Professor Chris Pearce, University of Glasgow, also spoke to us about the impact of the pandemic on academic research. He told us that: [ … ] the recent crisis of covid-19 has demonstrated the value and importance of not just universities but the research they do, and has shown how they work together. They have worked collaboratively. They have worked with industry and with the health service to fight covid-19 and I am absolutely confident that they will help in the recovery from the pandemic, but that comes only through investment.247