Membership of the European Union provides Scotland's universities with 'invaluable' funding, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The SNP leader said the institution's funding of universities helps them to "maintain" an "excellent international reputation".

Sturgeon said: "I'm passionate about ensuring Scotland's education system is the best it can be - accessible, at the cutting edge of research and teaching, and outward-looking.

She continued: "Of course, our higher education institutions benefit from EU membership just as much as our students.

"Our participation in the EU's horizon 2020 programme provides an invaluable source of research funding and collaboration for our education institutions - helping them to maintain their excellent international reputation.

"These benefits are worth getting out and voting for - and on June 23, I would urge people across Scotland to get out and vote to remain part of the EU, and secure the benefits of membership."

The comments from the SNP leader came on a visit to the University of Glasgow where the First Minister studied from 1988 to 1993.

Her views on the EU were however rebutted by the Scottish Vote Leave campaign.

Campaign spokesman Braden Davy says membership of the EU puts free university tuition "under threat" due to increasing numbers of students from Europe studying in Scotland for free.

Davy said: "Nicola ignores the biggest threat to Scottish students: staying in the EU means free tuition is under threat. Already Scottish taxpayers fork out £80 million a year to pay for the places of EU students at our universities, students who under EU law compete for exactly the same places as Scottish students.

"This is a huge strain on the Scottish taxpayer, and has resulted in falling number of Scots at our universities. The proportion of students attending our world class universities who were Scottish fell by 5 per cent to just over half between 2011-12 and 2014-15. Meanwhile the share that were EU students rose by 3 per cent.

"In the last ten years, the number of EU students has doubled to 20,890 in 2014-15, while 10,000 fewer Scots attend Scottish University.

"Inside the EU free tuition will be under threat. Only if we Vote Leave can Scottish universities prioritise Scottish students and secure free tuition in the long-term."

Voters across the UK will decide on June 23 if Britain should remain or leave the European Union. It is the first referendum on the country's membership since 1975.