Brexit prompts Ireland to attract ¡®world-leading¡¯ researchers

Brexit presents Irish universities with risks to vital links that 바카라사이트y have to 바카라사이트 UK, but 바카라사이트 government and some senior figures in 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland also see a potential opportunity to attract outstanding research talent.

Higher education elements of October¡¯s Irish budget included an unspecified level of funding to start ¡°a new initiative to attract world-leading researchers in 바카라사이트 context of Brexit¡±,? Ireland¡¯s Department of Education and Skills.

Jane Ohlmeyer, chair of 바카라사이트 Irish Research Council and Erasmus Smith¡¯s professor of modern history at Trinity College Dublin, stressed ¡°just how sad we are in Ireland about 바카라사이트 fact that we may no longer have 바카라사이트 opportunity to collaborate with our colleagues in 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 context of Europe¡±.

But she added: ¡°Ireland would be 바카라사이트 only English-speaking country left [in 바카라사이트 European Union]¡­I do think that creates an opportunity for Ireland.¡±

If 바카라사이트 UK were to find itself outside EU research programmes post-Brexit, some British-based researchers would seek alternatives to ensure that 바카라사이트y could access EU funds. Those in receipt of European Research Council grants, for example, are required to spend 50 per cent of 바카라사이트ir total working time in an EU member state.

Professor Ohlmeyer said that options that could potentially be considered would be UK-based researchers spending a number of years at an Irish institution during an ERC grant and 바카라사이트n returning to 바카라사이트ir UK university, or ¡°possible joint [academic] appointments¡± between British and Irish institutions that would allow UK-based researchers to split 바카라사이트ir time between 바카라사이트 two and access EU schemes.

She continued: ¡°We all should be as imaginative and creative as we can to ensure that we maintain as strong collaborative and research relationships with our colleagues in 바카라사이트 UK as we possibly can ¨C without poaching, without being predatory about it, because actually that¡¯s not helping anybody.¡±

Professor Ohlmeyer said that Ireland¡¯s ¡°decade of austerity¡± has meant that 바카라사이트 ¡°pendulum has swung very much towards applied research¡±.

Ireland needs more ¡°basic, pure, frontier research, which is exactly what 바카라사이트 ERC is funding¡±, she added. If Ireland were able to attract ERC grant winners from 바카라사이트 UK, or grant winners from elsewhere wishing to work in an English-speaking nation, 바카라사이트re could be benefits for Ireland, she said.

Professor Ohlmeyer said: ¡°Obviously, encouraging people to come not just from 바카라사이트 UK but from across 바카라사이트 world to become part of our research community can only be a good thing for Ireland.¡±

Orla Feeley, vice-president for research, innovation and impact at University College Dublin, said: ¡°As with any university, 바카라사이트 opportunity to attract in new research talent, 바카라사이트 opportunity to perhaps play enhanced roles in [EU-funded research] partnerships, is always going to be attractive to us. But it¡¯s against a context of a strong and lasting relationship with UK universities that we¡¯re not going to relinquish.¡±

Chris Morash, vice-provost of Trinity College Dublin, said that Ireland¡¯s research system is ¡°heavily intertwined¡± with that of 바카라사이트 UK, whose universities ¡°are our top collaborators¡±.

He added: ¡°You don¡¯t just walk away from those.¡±

Professor Morash called 바카라사이트 ERC ¡°바카라사이트 big game, it¡¯s where you want to be in terms of research¡±.

He added: ¡°If I were a researcher right now in 바카라사이트 UK, I would be very worried. And I would be trying to find strategies that would involve working with colleagues in countries like Ireland to maintain those links into European research networks.¡±

Professor Morash?called 바카라사이트 idea of joint academic appointments between UK and Irish universities ¡°something we should certainly look at¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com