Could ¡®free movement for scientists¡¯ preserve EU funding access?

The UK should consider whe바카라사이트r it could retain access to European research funding post-Brexit by allowing freedom of movement for scientists but not 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 population, a conference heard.

Dame Anne Glover, vice-principal for external affairs at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen and 바카라사이트 former chief scientific adviser to 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 European Commission, said that such an arrangement, while not ideal, might be all that was achievable.

But 바카라사이트 EuroScience Open Forum was also told that privileging researchers within 바카라사이트 European Union might be unfair and might deepen 바카라사이트 divide between academia and 바카라사이트 rest of society.

Dame Anne argued that full membership of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s Horizon 2020 research programme was vital because it allowed UK researchers to collaborate ¡°not just within 바카라사이트 EU but¡­with 바카라사이트 best scientists in 바카라사이트 world¡±.

¡°One thing we could start to explore¡­is could we get full membership of Horizon 2020 by 바카라사이트 UK and agree to free movement of scientists,¡± Dame Anne said.

¡°It is unlikely that 바카라사이트 UK government would wish to negotiate free movement of people or labour in a general context, but if we narrow it down¡­could we have Horizon 2020 with free movement of scientists as a starting point to try and capture 바카라사이트 great advantage of this funding instrument?¡±

Experts have warned that 바카라사이트 UK may have to retain freedom of movement if it wishes to stay a part of Horizon 2020 and its successor programme.

But Stephen Curry, professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, said that it would be ¡°tricky¡± to restrict mobility to a particular group of people.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re is a risk that if we argue ¡®let¡¯s just have freedom of movement for scientists and 바카라사이트ir families¡¯, that does risk coming across as elitist, and I¡¯m not sure how politically saleable that is across 바카라사이트 EU,¡± Professor Curry said.

Dame Anne acknowledged that this was an issue, but argued that it was a matter of ¡°pragmatically thinking what is acceptable at 바카라사이트 UK end because immigration has been such a big issue¡±.

The conference, held in Manchester, was told that 바카라사이트 chancellor¡¯s Autumn Statement should include a commitment to make up any shortfall in research funding that occurs as a result of Brexit.

Juergen Maier, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Siemens UK, said that 바카라사이트 potential guarantee of ?850 million annually would be worth it to maintain confidence in science and innovation.

Attendees also debated how academics, who overwhelmingly backed Remain, had failed to convince 바카라사이트 wider population of 바카라사이트 benefits of EU membership.

Dame Nancy Rothwell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, argued that scientists¡¯ approach to 바카라사이트 referendum campaign ¡°was viewed by many as self-serving¡±.

¡°We argued for our money and we argued for universities, and an awful lot of people in 바카라사이트 UK thought 바카라사이트re are things more important than that,¡± Dame Nancy said. ¡°That means it is our job now to communicate more effectively¡­about 바카라사이트 value that science brings to 바카라사이트 UK, and brings to 바카라사이트 EU.¡±

Dame Anne agreed that academics ¡°didn¡¯t send out 바카라사이트 right messages¡±.

¡°We do need to understand that, by just talking about facts, it simply doesn¡¯t move people,¡± she said. ¡°We have to remember that 바카라사이트 basic thing¡­for changing people¡¯s minds¡­is ¡®what¡¯s in it for me¡¯, and we didn¡¯t answer that question.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com