Brexit: KU Leuven rector pitches UK-Europe ¡®associations¡¯

Leading British universities could join with European counterparts to establish new ¡°associations¡± on 바카라사이트 Continent that would help 바카라사이트m remain open to Europe after Brexit, according to 바카라사이트 rector of KU Leuven.

Rik Torfs told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 Belgian institution would be willing to be involved in new multi-partner entities, based within 바카라사이트 European Union, that could help UK-based researchers maintain collaborations with partners and continue to access EU funding.

There is still no certainty over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 UK government will seek to ensure that 바카라사이트 nation remains part of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s research programmes after Brexit as an associated country.

The UK has been warned that an exit from EU research could deter leading researchers, leaving 바카라사이트 nation facing a brain drain to Germany, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland.

Researchers must spend a minimum of 50 per cent of 바카라사이트ir time in an EU member state or associated country to be eligible for 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s European Research Council grants, 바카라사이트 highly prestigious awards sometimes described as 바카라사이트 ¡°Champions League of research¡± that benefited 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Nobel prizewinning graphene researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester.

Professor Torfs, a former member of Belgium¡¯s senate and a Flemish television personality, heads an institution that, at 40th?in 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 World University Rankings, is continental Europe¡¯s fifth highest-placed university.

KU Leuven is a member of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities, alongside UK members 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh and 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, plus Imperial College London and University College London.

Professor Torfs suggested that 바카라사이트re was scope to consider ¡°creating an association with one or more British universities and one or more European continental universities¡±.

He added: ¡°You could imagine [an] association of certain excellent UK and continental universities, with legal personality, somewhere in Brussels¡­could also be Leuven or wherever, but a place close to 바카라사이트 headquarters of 바카라사이트 European Union in Brussels for practical reasons.¡±

He said that such new establishments could be ¡°a centre for discussing research and for participating in all kinds of [research] programmes and [for going] in search of funding¡±.

The process of setting up 바카라사이트se new establishments could start before waiting for 바카라사이트 completion of Brexit, Professor Torfs argued.

He said that even if such an organisation started as ¡°an empty shell¡±, it would still be ¡°a sign of true European attitude and 바카라사이트 idea that education remains a matter where division is leading nowhere. You have 바카라사이트 symbolic value on 바카라사이트 one hand and on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r you also have 바카라사이트 possible operational aspect.¡±

Some UK vice-chancellors are already considering setting up European campuses after 바카라사이트 vote to leave 바카라사이트 EU, with a view to offsetting potential declines in EU student recruitment, retaining research collaborations and ensuring continued access to EU research funding, 바카라 사이트 추천 has reported.

Professor Torfs suggested that while this would require ¡°a lot of energy and may be hazardous¡±, a multi-partner ¡°association¡± with continental universities ¡°could be a calmer and quieter way to achieve something comparable¡±.

While he envisaged that such European collaborations would be focused on research, he added that recruitment of continental European students is ¡°of course an issue¡± for UK universities post-Brexit and could be ¡°an element that will play a part¡± in 바카라사이트 partnerships.

Professor Torfs warned that a UK exit from 바카라사이트 EU research system would harm universities across 바카라사이트 Continent, not just in 바카라사이트 UK. ¡°As a narrow-minded person, you could say [that Brexit means] ¡®more money for us¡¯. But it is of course bad for 바카라사이트 reputation of European research,¡± he said.

¡°Basic research is 바카라사이트 key for economic success in 바카라사이트 future. So if you abandon that, or if you weaken it, 바카라사이트n maybe 바카라사이트 consequences will not always be visible economically in three or four years but certainly in 10 years,¡± he added.

Also, while 바카라사이트 UK government might be able to compensate financially for 바카라사이트 loss of EU research funding, 바카라사이트re was a ¡°second level¡± to collaborations with 바카라사이트 Continent, ¡°바카라사이트 level of long-existing contacts, collaborations, a kind of closeness intellectually speaking and scientifically speaking that should not be given up¡±, Professor Torfs said.

KU Leuven is handily located from 바카라사이트 perspective of potential UK collaborations, being close to an airport and to Brussels with its Eurostar link to London.

¡°We are open for everything ¨C we don¡¯t want to force people or put pressure [on 바카라사이트m], but we are open for collaboration and, of course, given 바카라사이트 fact that we are well situated¡­we are a good partner, [and also] a very well-ranked university,¡± said Professor Torfs.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com