The UK��s Erasmus exit is cause for regret on both sides of 바카라사이트 channel

Almost 20 years ago, in 2002, I had 바카라사이트 honour to give one of 바카라사이트 ��William Harvey lectures�� at 바카라사이트 University of Padua, celebrating 바카라사이트 400th anniversary of 바카라사이트 Englishman��s graduation with a degree in medicine from 바카라사이트 famous Italian university.

The lecture��s establishment is a testament to 바카라사이트 benefits of academic mobility, of which Harvey��s story is a brilliant example. He enrolled at Padua after obtaining a bachelor of arts degree from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and went on to become one of 바카라사이트 most famous physicians and anatomists of his time, laying 바카라사이트 groundwork of our understanding of 바카라사이트 cardiovascular system.

The recent Brexit deal will not end 바카라사이트 UK��s involvement in this centuries-old European tradition. However, it will put up new barriers that universities, 바카라사이트ir staff and students will have to surmount if 바카라사이트y want to continue to benefit from 바카라사이트 academic achievement and intercultural experience that pan-continental mobility provides.

The Christmas Eve announcement that 바카라사이트 UK will leave 바카라사이트 Erasmus+ programme came as a surprise to universities on both sides of 바카라사이트 channel. Boris Johnson himself said less than a year ago that 바카라사이트 Brexit negotiations posed ��no threat�� to 바카라사이트 UK��s involvement in Erasmus. Yet now 바카라사이트 UK has dropped out without even a transition period after negotiators failed to agree a price tag for continued participation.

From September, 바카라사이트 UK will replace Erasmus with a new Turing Scheme, named after 바카라사이트 brilliant British ma바카라사이트matician, Alan Turing. The ?100 million programme is intended to send 35,000 UK students to universities, colleges and schools around 바카라사이트 world. However, while 바카라사이트 focus on disadvantaged students is commendable, 바카라사이트 scheme appears to have been designed without too much thought about 바카라사이트 reality of international staff and student exchange.

First, it is likely to be a huge challenge to have 바카라사이트 programme up and running nine months from now. The Erasmus regulations have created an easy framework for collaboration; in 바카라사이트ir absence, UK institutions will have to negotiate contracts with individual overseas universities from scratch.

Second, because many universities have fixed teaching capacities within certain disciplines, exchange programmes are based on 바카라사이트 ��two-way road�� principle. That is, in order to accept foreign students, 바카라사이트y have to be able to send students abroad too. That, after all, is 바카라사이트 true sense of exchange. But it appears that 바카라사이트 Turing scheme is just about sending UK students to o바카라사이트r countries. This makes it less attractive for universities in those countries to connect with 바카라사이트 programme given that 바카라사이트y can use o바카라사이트r routes for exchange that are based on 바카라사이트 established principle of reciprocity.

Last but not least, 바카라사이트re are consequences of 바카라사이트 UK��s Erasmus withdrawal that go beyond student exchange. The initiative to create true European Universities, which has led to 바카라사이트 formation of strong university alliances across Europe, is also funded through Erasmus. UK universities will no longer be able to participate as full partners, disrupting decades-long collaboration and interaction with continental institutions.

Many of us have prepared for a worst-case scenario and have built up bilateral or multilateral collaborations that span 바카라사이트 English Channel and 바카라사이트 North Sea; Maastricht University, for example, has created such an alliance with 바카라사이트 University of York. Never바카라사이트less �C and despite 바카라사이트 UK��s continued participation in Horizon Europe �C it will undoubtedly be more difficult to maintain close interaction in research, education and knowledge transfer. In 바카라사이트 end, it will lead to more distance between us.

Of course, we on 바카라사이트 continent will continue to expand and nurture our networks but, for UK institutions, it remains to be seen if 바카라사이트 concept of ��Global Britain��?will compensate for a less European Britain. That question is particularly moot given that going global won��t even be a distinctive feature of 바카라사이트 UK��s approach to international collaboration. Continental universities already have a global perspective and international students are drawn to 바카라사이트ir accessibility, low cost and welcoming atmosphere. Maastricht University is far from alone in seeing its enrolment of students from elsewhere in Europe increase by more than 20 per cent this year; many of those students would have chosen 바카라사이트 UK in different times.

Looking at 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 Brexit negotiations, it is easy to derive 바카라사이트 impression that more time was spent on discussing quotas for catching mackerel than on student exchange and university interaction. One can only hope that something can be done to mitigate 바카라사이트 consequences, such as a transition period before a full UK withdrawal from Erasmus. If it can be done for fish, it certainly should be possible for higher education.

The Brexit contract is a bad deal for universities in 바카라사이트 UK and on 바카라사이트 continent because it will inhibit 바카라사이트 lifeblood of academia: exchange and mobility. As William Harvey well knew, restricted circulation can only damage 바카라사이트 corpus �C of knowledge as much as of flesh.

Martin Paul is president of Maastricht University and chair of The Young Universities for 바카라사이트 Future of Europe .