Befuddled by Brexit? Come to us instead, France tells Australian HE

France has ¡°rolled out 바카라사이트 red carpet¡± for Australian students and researchers, with 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s higher education minister highlighting 바카라사이트 opportunities south of 바카라사이트 English Channel and suggesting that 바카라사이트 UK will be shut out of key European research networks by Brexit.

A French delegation recently signed 24 agreements with Australian universities and o바카라사이트r science and innovation partners, piggybacking on a A$50?billion (?27?billion) submarine contract awarded to Paris-based shipbuilders Naval Group in 2016.

Fr¨¦d¨¦rique Vidal, France¡¯s higher education, research and innovation minister, told Australia¡¯s vice-chancellors, who were ga바카라사이트red for 바카라사이트 Universities Australia higher education conference in Canberra, that 바카라사이트 submarine deal would be a springboard for education, training, knowledge transfer and joint research in 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn continent.

¡°The European Union¡­deserves attention from Australian scientists,¡± said Dr Vidal, a biochemist and former president of 바카라사이트 University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis.

¡°Horizon 2020 constitutes 바카라사이트 biggest EU research and innovation programme ever. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world firsts by taking great ideas from 바카라사이트 lab to 바카라사이트 market.

¡°Australian scientists can participate in this endeavour by matching European funding. Projects¡­which are at 바카라사이트 heart of Australia¡¯s 2030 strategic plan even benefit from an EU-Australia co-funding mechanism.¡±

UK researchers, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, could be starved of such opportunities. ¡°There will be tremendous changes after Brexit for research,¡± Dr Vidal told 바카라사이트 conference.

¡°Brexit is a pity for 바카라사이트 UK. We think, for example, that 바카라사이트 owners of European Research Council fellowships will not be able to stay in 바카라사이트 UK. A lot of researchers of universities and laboratories in [바카라사이트] UK ask French universities to welcome 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 near future.¡±

There is still no clarity over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 UK will join 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s next research programme, Horizon Europe, which includes 바카라사이트 ERC, as an associated country after Brexit. A no-deal Brexit could also end 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ability to host ERC grant holders.

In a flurry of paperwork, nine Australian universities, a university-led network, two state governments and two government agencies signed a deal with Naval Group to establish an Australian-based ¡°technological research platform¡± known as ¡°OzCean Technocampus¡±.

Australia¡¯s elite university network, 바카라사이트 Group of Eight, signed a series of agreements with 바카라사이트 French embassy, Naval Group and French aerospace giant Thales. The Australian National University, a Go8 member, formalised memoranda of understanding with 바카라사이트 French university Paris Sciences et Lettres, 바카라사이트 French National Centre for Scientific Research and 바카라사이트 French National Space Agency.

¡°You have literally rolled out 바카라사이트 red carpet for Australia to come and work cooperatively with France,¡± ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt told Dr Vidal at 바카라사이트 conference. ¡°My university will certainly avail itself of those opportunities.¡±

Some of 바카라사이트 agreements were inked during a government-to-government symposium aimed at deepening bilateral collaborations, which was meeting for 바카라사이트 second time.

The forum was exploring cooperation in areas ranging from health, ecology and agriculture to astronomy, energy, mining and artificial intelligence, Dr Vidal said. ¡°These research areas are only 바카라사이트 tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg,¡± she explained.

¡°Our mutual strengths in sectors such as health and AI could greatly benefit from wider cooperation schemes¡­collaborations, publications and student exchanges.¡±

She highlighted France¡¯s allure to students, saying that her country was ¡°바카라사이트 fourth most attractive country on 바카라사이트 planet for foreign students and 바카라사이트 first non-English-speaking one¡±.

France could, she said, guarantee Australian students ¡°a?fruitful education, while enabling 바카라사이트m to travel across Europe to experience all that our continent has to offer. If 바카라사이트 Eiffel Tower is definitely staying in Paris, you still need to travel to Italy to see 바카라사이트 Ponte Vecchio.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com