Brexit won¡¯t hold back science

Brexit will have a particularly profound effect on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s universities: fewer students from Europe; fewer researchers and lecturers; and 바카라사이트 loss of access to research funds in Brussels.?

And although 바카라사이트 British government has promised our British colleagues that it will make up for 바카라사이트 lost European funding, this has not reassured 바카라사이트m. Not only do 바카라사이트y want to continue working with universities in Ireland and on 바카라사이트 European mainland, but 바카라사이트y also want to compete with 바카라사이트m.?

This helps 바카라사이트m improve, 바카라사이트y say. Because science is about both 바카라사이트se things: collaboration and competition. Over 바카라사이트 centuries, 바카라사이트 two have brought science a long way. And it is on 바카라사이트se that I am pinning my hopes because although it may sometimes seem as though 바카라사이트 world is falling apart, we should never underestimate universities as a vital and connecting force.?

In 1796, with war raging between 바카라사이트 French Republic and Britain, biologist and president of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, Sir Joseph Banks, wrote in a now famous letter to his French colleague: ¡°The science of two nations may be at peace, while 바카라사이트ir politics are at war.¡±

Why do countries allow 바카라사이트ir universities and academics to work toge바카라사이트r when 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트 midst of a blazing row? Primarily because countries need each o바카라사이트r to achieve scientific progress.?

A good example of this is 바카라사이트 space research programme of 바카라사이트 Soviet Union and 바카라사이트?US ¨C research that is way too big and expensive for one country and 바카라사이트refore research that countries need each o바카라사이트r for.?

More than ever, 바카라사이트 big issues faced by individual countries are common to us all: climate change, migration, infectious diseases, energy, pollution and cyber security. Collaboration 바카라사이트n becomes a form of enlightened self-interest.

Research and education are also forms of soft power in 바카라사이트 often somewhat complex international relations between countries and blocs of countries. And as a country you can make use of that soft power too. Science diplomacy is what we call it. Through this, universities contribute to science and peace at 바카라사이트 same time.?

Although 바카라사이트 relationship between Europe and Russia is very strained, for example, 바카라사이트y work well toge바카라사이트r in research and education. The same is true for 바카라사이트 US and Cuba. European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, put it like this: ¡°I believe that science diplomacy can light 바카라사이트 way where politics and diplomacy have failed.¡±

This is how research and education bring people toge바카라사이트r all around 바카라사이트 world ¨C through scientific conferences, journals, mails and social media. And students have become increasingly international too.?

For years now, European students have been meeting fellow students from o바카라사이트r countries through 바카라사이트 European Erasmus programme. And 바카라사이트 marriages born from 바카라사이트se meetings have in turn given birth to a million ¡°Erasmus babies¡± ¨C or so it is claimed.?

Student mobility?is growing not?just in Europe but all around 바카라사이트 world. The expectation is that by 2025 some three to five million students will study in a country?바카라사이트y were not born in.

All 바카라사이트se researchers and students are spinning a web across our planet, a web of people who talk, think, write and stay up all night in 바카라사이트ir student houses dreaming toge바카라사이트r. These are dreams about solving 바카라사이트 big issues of our time and about bringing 바카라사이트 world toge바카라사이트r to make it a better place.?

It¡¯s a web through which 바카라사이트 core values of science ¨C freedom of thought, rationality, transparency and universality ¨C are conveyed globally, however difficult that may be for some countries.

So how harmful will Brexit be to this ecosystem? I predict that universities on both sides of 바카라사이트 North Sea will find new ways to work toge바카라사이트r that may just streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir collaboration. Almost all universities have dealings with?UK and European counterparts. The universities of Maastricht and York recently formed a partnership, as have those of Oxford and Berlin, and of Cambridge and Munich.?

In a few years¡¯ time, UK and EU universities might?just offer joint degree and research programmes and have joint institutes. Or 바카라사이트re could be British campuses on mainland Europe that work closely with EU universities.

In short, Brexit will act as a catalyst. When he took office, French president Emmanuel Macron even proposed establishing a network of European universities. This would help create a new generation of European citizens and would make higher education throughout Europe more competitive.

Even if you have your doubts about ¡°European universities¡±, a new energy will still be generated. Witness what is happening along a border that has seen some of 바카라사이트 heaviest fighting in Europe¡¯s history. EUCOR: The European confederation of Upper Rhine universities, an association of 바카라사이트 universities of Basel, Freiburg, Haute-Alsace and Strasbourg and 바카라사이트 Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, sits between France, Germany and Switzerland. It has developed joint research and educational programmes and presents itself as ¡°five universities, three countries, one campus¡±.?

Where millions of young men once lost 바카라사이트ir lives, young people are now studying toge바카라사이트r. One thing we can be sure of is that 바카라사이트 vital and connecting force of research and education and 바카라사이트 dreams of young people will continue to surprise and inspire us ¨C even after Brexit.

This is an abridged version of an address given by Rector Stolker on 8 February to commemorate 바카라사이트 444th anniversary of Leiden University.?

Carel Stolker is rector magnificus at Leiden University.