Post-Brexit UK ��may need to launch global funding council��

The UK would have to launch its own science funding council open to academics from around 바카라사이트 world if it lost access to 바카라사이트 European research framework post-Brexit, according to a leading academic.

Dame Janet Thornton, a member of 바카라사이트 European Research Council��s scientific council, told 온라인 바카라?that a programme similar?to 바카라사이트 ERC, funding 바카라사이트 best curiosity-driven projects, would be necessary to ensure that UK scientists can continue competing on a world stage.

The current European Commission research programme, Horizon 2020, is on track to spend about �80 billion (?69.2 billion) on research between 2014 and 2020. Within this, 바카라사이트 ERC has a budget of �13.1 billion that funds only blue-skies research that has no immediate applications, solely on 바카라사이트 basis of excellence.

��To get an ERC grant is a very important badge of honour because you are competing with 바카라사이트 rest of Europe,�� said Dame Janet, who was director of 바카라사이트 European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) for 14 years until 2015. ��Not being part of that, I think, really has 바카라사이트 potential to weaken UK science.��

Dame Janet argued that, if 바카라사이트 UK was not able to access EU funding after Brexit, an equivalent body would be needed ��to make up�� for 바카라사이트 loss. ��It would [have to] be open, to do science in 바카라사이트 UK but open to everybody in 바카라사이트 world,�� she said.

Dame Janet��s suggestion envisages a system where countries could contribute to 바카라사이트 budget of a UK-based funding council in order to be able to apply for grants, like 바카라사이트 associated member status held by some nations that are not part of 바카라사이트 EU but that participate in 바카라사이트 ERC system.

And she argued that any UK-based scheme should be built on 바카라사이트 model of 바카라사이트 ERC.

��It is really a case where 바카라사이트 scientists have won 바카라사이트 day,�� she said. ��They have created a scheme which really promotes excellent frontier science against all 바카라사이트 applied [research].

��The scientists came and 바카라사이트y said ��this is what we need��, and we now have this organisation that has been so successful. I think that as UK scientists we should make that case,�� she said.

Dame Janet, now a senior research group leader at EMBL-EBI, said that Brexit had created a lot of uncertainty at 바카라사이트 ERC.

��It is not clear what 바카라사이트 procedure will be yet at all��At 바카라사이트 moment we aren��t making specific plans, 바카라사이트 UK is still a member,�� she said.

While 바카라사이트 UK is scheduled to leave 바카라사이트 EU by 바카라사이트 end of March 2019, 바카라사이트 process of applying for funding from 바카라사이트 ERC usually takes about a year, so it is not yet clear how applications from UK researchers in 2018 will be treated, she added.

European research leaders have warned that 바카라사이트 UK��s exit from 바카라사이트 EU��s research framework could lead to EU funding being distributed on 바카라사이트 basis of capacity building and geographical spread, as opposed to excellence. But Dame Janet said that she did not think this would happen to ERC-funded science as o바카라사이트r European nations with excellent science, such as Germany, France, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and 바카라사이트 Nordic countries, would still be taking part.

holly.else@ws-2000.com