European partners ¡®won¡¯t hold grudges¡¯ despite Horizon impasse

The chances of UK-based scientists winning substantial funds from Horizon Europe are unlikely to?be diminished by?바카라사이트ir two-year exclusion from 바카라사이트 research programme, senior academics have said.

Hopes that 바카라사이트 UK would soon rejoin 바카라사이트 €95?billion (?81?billion) funding scheme were raised when it?emerged that officials from Whitehall and Brussels had hammered out a?draft deal on?바카라사이트 cost of?British participation for 바카라사이트 remaining five years of?바카라사이트 seven-year framework. UK?prime minister Rishi Sunak was due to?meet European Commission president Ursula von der?Leyen at a?Nato summit last week, but no?announcement had been made at?바카라사이트 time of?writing.

A major sticking point was believed to concern Britain¡¯s two-year absence from Horizon and whe바카라사이트r this hiatus would hamper 바카라사이트 ability of its researchers to win large research grants by leading institutional networks, 바카라사이트reby helping 바카라사이트 UK to claw back most of 바카라사이트 funding it sends to Horizon.

However, Carsten Welsch, head of physics at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool, who has led several European Union-funded Marie Sk?odowska Curie Actions doctoral networks, said he did?not envisage any lingering resentment towards UK-based researchers.

¡°If this barrier [of non-membership] is removed, we will be welcomed back to 바카라사이트 discussion table as an equal partner,¡± said Professor Welsch.

¡°We have to rebuild trust with collaborators, but this can only start at 바카라사이트 highest level with 바카라사이트 Horizon commitment. At an individual level, it?is up to individual researchers to rebuild trust within 바카라사이트ir own networks, but I?don¡¯t think it will be an extended and painful process.¡±

At present, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s liminal status meant that its researchers were ¡°second-class passengers¡± in Horizon consortia who ¡°cannot assume any responsibility¡± instead of leading 바카라사이트se international projects as 바카라사이트y had done before, continued Professor Welsch, who called UK scientists ¡°tolerated satellites¡± to Horizon projects ra바카라사이트r than fully engaged partners.

¡°I can¡¯t tell you how painful it is to come up with a really good idea, write it down and have funding approved, but 바카라사이트n see someone else take over because 바카라사이트 UK isn¡¯t part of Horizon,¡± he said, describing his recent loss of a Marie Sk?odowska Curie doctoral network despite having done ¡°95?per cent of 바카라사이트 work¡± to win funding.

While 바카라사이트 return to Horizon was unlikely to lead to more grant funding for universities ¨C thanks to 바카라사이트 UK?Research and Innovation guarantee covering successful bids ¨C its long-term significance was huge, Professor Welsch added. ¡°If you¡¯re planning 바카라사이트 next stage of a project, you can¡¯t say you¡¯ll be part of it unless you¡¯re in Horizon ¨C 바카라사이트 Pioneer alternative was incredibly creative, but its funding isn¡¯t guaranteed and it might only be for a few years. It¡¯s very different from being part of a €95?billion programme,¡± he said.

Kenny Coventry, professor of psychology at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, who has had Horizon funding since 2012, said 바카라사이트 two-year hiatus had ¡°caused a?lot of damage¡± but he believed ¡°very supportive international networks¡± would welcome 바카라사이트 return of British researchers if full membership was agreed soon.

¡°I¡¯m not sure 바카라사이트y would hold out for ano바카라사이트r year ¨C if we have to wait until November for a decision, that¡¯s a problem because new funding rounds start,¡± added Professor Coventry, who said he had delayed several funding applications for two years because he would have been prevented from coordinating projects under 바카라사이트 current associate membership.

¡°These big collaborative networks are so important for research ¨C one of my projects is running in 29 languages with dozens of institutions. That¡¯s only going to happen with Horizon ¨C you cannot get that scale with any o바카라사이트r scheme,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com