(CNN) Vital research into new cancer treatments and technology combating climate change "will be compromised" if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union without a deal in place, university leaders have warned lawmakers.

which it would take decades to recover." Organizations representing more than 150 higher education providers across the country wrote to politicians and the government on Friday to say that a no-deal Brexit would lead to "an academic, cultural and scientific setback fromwhich it would take decades to recover."

The letter, signed by Universities UK, the Russell Group, GuildHE, MillionPlus and University Alliance, says "the valuable exchange of students, staff and knowledge would be seriously damaged."

It notes that "as a sector which contributes over £21 billion to UK GDP every year and supports 944,000 jobs, it is critical to the national interest, to the economy, communities and wider society, that the UK's universities thrive post-Brexit."

The letter urges the UK government to "demonstrate the required ambition, put the right measures and guarantees in place, and, crucially, avoid the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal on 29 March."

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