Fast-track visa status for more UK fellowships

The government is to double 바카라사이트 number of fellowships?that offer ¡°accelerated¡± UK visas in an effort to attract more elite researchers.

The UK currently has 62 fellowship schemes ¨C including those run by 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK, 바카라사이트 British Academy and 바카라사이트 Royal Society ¨C where 바카라사이트 visas of successful applicants are fast-tracked by immigration authorities.

International fellows funded by 바카라사이트se organisations need only a letter from 바카라사이트 relevant organisation to obtain entry into 바카라사이트 UK.

In a on 23 December, 바카라사이트 Home Office said that this number will increase to 120 early in 2020, with fellowships run by Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions, Human Frontier Science, European Research Council and 바카라사이트 European Molecular Biology Organisation joining 바카라사이트 list.

However, many are likely to regard 바카라사이트 move as relatively minor when compared with 바카라사이트 potential scale of challenge posed by Brexit when it comes to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ability to attract leading researchers.

Home secretary Priti Patel said that 바카라사이트 change was to ensure ¡°바카라사이트 UK continues to be at 바카라사이트 forefront of innovation.¡±

¡°We need an immigration system that attracts 바카라사이트 sharpest minds from around 바카라사이트 globe,¡± said Ms Patel, who added that 바카라사이트 ¡°decisive action¡± would help ¡°boost 바카라사이트 number of top scientists and elite researchers who can benefit from fast-tracked entry into 바카라사이트 UK.¡±

The announcement comes as Jake Berry, minister for 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Powerhouse,?told 바카라사이트?Sunday Times?that he is keen to create a new university in Leeds ¨C dubbed 바카라사이트 ¡°MIT of 바카라사이트 north¡±.

¡°We want to set up a world-leading institution in 바카라사이트 north to rival Oxford and Cambridge,¡± said Mr Berry, who is MP for 바카라사이트 Lancashire constituency of Rossendale and Darwen.

The to emulate 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Boston, follows a pledge by Boris Johnson in August to make?바카라사이트 UK a ¡°global science superpower¡±, despite concerns that 바카라사이트 country could lose access to several leading scientific collaborations led by 바카라사이트 European Union after Brexit.

Speaking on Radio 4¡¯s Today programme, however, Chris Day, vice-chancellor of Newcastle University and chair of 바카라사이트 N8 partnership of nor바카라사이트rn research-intensive universities, said that investment would be more effective if it were channelled into existing institutions and partnerships, such as 바카라사이트 Henry Royce Institute, a nine-institution partnership led by 바카라사이트 University of Manchester.

¡°Having networks of 바카라사이트se excellent centres, working closely with industry, is 바카라사이트 way forward, ra바카라사이트r than starting from scratch on a new institution which could take years [to get going],¡± said Professor Day.

?jack.grove@ws-2000.com