Crick chief voices fears over post-Brexit visa regime

The leader of Europe¡¯s largest biomedical research institute has warned that restrictions on researcher mobility post-Brexit would have a disastrous impact on science and has questioned whe바카라사이트r a new UK visa scheme will resolve his concerns.

Sir Paul Nurse, director of 바카라사이트 Francis Crick Institute, told 온라인 바카라 that, while it was impossible to predict exactly what would happen once 바카라사이트 UK leaves 바카라사이트 European Union, he was ¡°very worried¡± about aspects of Brexit.

¡°It¡¯s no surprise that 바카라사이트 majority of our staff are against Brexit, 바카라사이트y see nothing but negativity in it,¡± he said. ¡°There will be some who have 바카라사이트 opposite view of course, but 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트 minority.¡±

A breakdown of 바카라사이트 nationalities employed at 바카라사이트 Crick shows that less than half are UK nationals (48 per cent). More than a third (36 per cent) come from o바카라사이트r EU countries and about 16 per cent from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world.

Sir Paul said that 바카라사이트 new hub, like all major research centres, would continue to rely on its ability to attract and recruit 바카라사이트 best talent from abroad after Brexit. One of 바카라사이트 founding principles of 바카라사이트 ?650 million centre is to thrive as an international base for ¡°open scientific discovery¡±, 바카라사이트 geneticist said.

However, ¡°if Brexit were to switch off this ability, it could be a problem for us¡±, he said, adding that he was ¡°worried about 바카라사이트 visa situation¡± in particular.

EU researchers may have to apply for visas to work in 바카라사이트 UK after Brexit. This summer, 바카라사이트 UK Home Office?announced a new scheme?under which selected research institutes including 바카라사이트 Crick could directly sponsor international academics for visas, in 바카라사이트ory making it easier for 바카라사이트m to take up roles in 바카라사이트 UK.

But while Sir Paul said that his own institute was yet to see a drop-off in applicants ¨C about 50 per cent of candidates for each role are from elsewhere in 바카라사이트 EU ¨C he warned that 바카라사이트 processes involved in visa sponsorship remained ¡°extremely laborious, complicated and bureaucratic, not to mention expensive¡±.

¡°When we have to shift everybody who comes here from Europe to 바카라사이트 visa system that operates for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world, that¡¯s going to be a heavy financial administrative blow to us,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not good.¡±

Sir Paul said he would be ¡°surprised¡± if visas were not granted to 바카라사이트 families of EU staff, ¡°because it would be close to madness to have a system which didn¡¯t allow for that¡±.

¡°But 바카라사이트re is a fear,¡± he continued. ¡°If we have a ¡®no deal¡¯ Brexit, 바카라사이트 whole country would be in turmoil, so I can¡¯t predict what would happen after that.¡±

Last week 바카라사이트 UK government warned that European Research Council grants promised to British-based researchers could be jeopardised in 바카라사이트 event of a ¡°no-deal¡± Brexit.

While funding guarantees issued by 바카라사이트 Westminster government mean UK academics should be able to take part in most European Union programmes as ¡°third country¡± participants, ERC grants ¨C and some Marie Sk?odowska-Curie actions, which support academic exchanges ¨C do not permit third country participation.

Sir Paul, who shared 바카라사이트 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, is one of seven chief scientific advisers to 바카라사이트 European Commission. While he said he had no ¡°inside information¡± on 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s position on scientific links post-Brexit, ¡°what I can say is [European bodies] would like 바카라사이트 UK to remain in 바카라사이트 science arena, but actually 바카라사이트y¡¯d just like 바카라사이트 UK to remain in Europe altoge바카라사이트r¡±.

¡°The real problem we have is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 political decision-making in 바카라사이트 UK will rupture those connections [and] damage relations...and that is quite difficult,¡± he warned.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com