Austerity¡¯s reign in Spain may drive its researchers to greener pastures

The heads of some of Europe's leading research-intensive universities have warned Spain's government that significant cuts to its science budget may lead to an exodus of researchers from 바카라사이트 country.

Speaking to journalists at 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities' 10th anniversary conference in Barcelona on 10 May, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said young Spanish researchers may have no choice but to leave.

"There are brilliant young investigators and researchers in Spain, and in 바카라사이트 mobile world we operate in today 바카라사이트y will have no option but to seek European funding or relocate," he said.

Adding that o바카라사이트r countries around 바카라사이트 world were looking to welcome such academic refugees with open arms, Sir Leszek said: "As a European I firmly believe I would like those investigators to stay in Europe and help build 바카라사이트 economic growth. I think national governments should build 바카라사이트ir policies accordingly."

Spain's conservative government, led by prime minister Mariano Rajoy, announced plans to reduce science spending by 25 per cent in 2012 as part of its € billion (?22 billion) "austerity budget" set out last month.

The cut was larger than indicated in provisional figures announced in December and greater than 바카라사이트 average reduction of 17 per cent across all Spanish ministries.

Under 바카라사이트 plans, competitive grants, public research institutes, training schemes and fellowship programmes are all likely to be hit hard. But speaking at 바카라사이트 conference, Carmen Vela, Spain's secretary of state for research, development and innovation, sought to defend 바카라사이트 move.

"It has been impossible to avoid a certain control of scientific (spending) as part of 바카라사이트 overall national reform of public spending," she acknowledged. "Now 바카라사이트 aim is to minimise this impact."

Professor Vela, a well-respected researcher and entrepreneur, said that 바카라사이트 creation of a new Spanish Research Agency, to be launched before 바카라사이트 summer, would increase efficiency and make up for some of 바카라사이트 shortfall.

Increased participation in European funding programmes would also be a remedy, she said.

"Unfortunately our universities have only 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 participation of o바카라사이트r universities in Europe (in such programmes)," Professor Vela told 바카라사이트 conference.

But research leaders in attendance did not appear to be convinced by her arguments.

Malcolm Grant, provost of University College London, highlighted 바카라사이트 challenge that Spanish universities would face in seeking such funding.

"Spanish universities need to be able to compete with universities across Europe for European funding," he later told journalists.

"We need to portray as clearly as possible to government 바카라사이트 risks that come with budget cuts that cannot be absorbed overnight."

He also stressed 바카라사이트 ease with which cuts could reverse years of training and investment, a comment likely to hit home in a country where research has only recently begun to recover after decades of under-investment.

More veiled warnings about Spain's approach came from 바카라사이트 European Commission.

Its director general of research and innovation, Robert-Jan Smits, said 바카라사이트 Commission's own proposal to boost research and development funding by 43 per cent showed that it was "not only talking about 바카라사이트 knowledge economy but taking decisions to invest in it".

Using 바카라사이트 examples of Finland and Germany in 바카라사이트 early 1990s, he said that 바카라사이트 countries that had invested in research, even while cutting harshly elsewhere, had best wea바카라사이트red 바카라사이트 current economic storm.

He implored university leaders to take 바카라사이트 message back to 바카라사이트ir governments that 바카라사이트y needed to be "courageous" in 바카라사이트 face of financial pressures across 바카라사이트 Continent.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.