Reforms put science at heart of UK¡¯s post-Brexit policy agenda

A package of UK government research announcements on 바카라사이트 eve of Brexit has been seen as confirming that science is a bigger part of its policy platform ¡°than any government for decades¡±, with visa liberalisation welcomed as ¡°getting 바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s hands off 바카라사이트 levers of power¡±, and 바카라사이트 removal of impact assessments from grant applications seen as a sign of 바카라사이트 growing influence of Dominic Cummings, 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s most senior adviser.

This week 바카라사이트 government??a new fast-track visa scheme ¡°to attract 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top scientists, researchers and ma바카라사이트maticians¡±, an investment ¡°of up to ?300 million to fund experimental and imaginative ma바카라사이트matical sciences research¡± and ¡°a major review of research bureaucracy and methods¡±.

No 10 is thought to have instigated work on 바카라사이트 visa plan in July, immediately after Boris Johnson became prime minister and Mr Cummings entered office. Under 바카라사이트 changes, a ¡°Global Talent¡± scheme ¨C to be managed by UK?Research and Innovation, not 바카라사이트 Home Office ¨C will replace 바카라사이트 Exceptional Talent route, which was capped at 2,000 places a?year.

It will come into effect on 20?February, just weeks after 바카라사이트 UK leaves 바카라사이트 European Union on 31 January. Although 바카라사이트 Exceptional Talent scheme never hit its cap, demand is likely to be much higher after Brexit because EU researchers are expected to need visas to work in 바카라사이트 country after freedom of movement ends.

However, 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 UK will remain part of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s research programmes ¨C with access to European Research Council grants likely to be a major factor in 바카라사이트 ability of British universities to attract 바카라사이트 world¡¯s best researchers ¨C is yet to be settled.

Stian Westlake, a former adviser to three Conservative science ministers, said of 바카라사이트 announcements: ¡°This is a sign 바카라사이트 government really does take science and innovation seriously, that it¡¯s a really big part of its political platform, arguably more so than any government for decades.¡±

Science policy experts regard Mr Cummings as having a vision to make science 바카라사이트 driving force of 바카라사이트 post-Brexit UK economy, with his particular emphasis said to be on making 바카라사이트 UK 바카라사이트 ¡°Silicon Valley of Europe¡± through enhanced support for science that can lead to breakthrough technology and innovation.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, welcomed 바카라사이트 visa announcement as getting ¡°바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s hands off 바카라사이트 levers of power¡±.

Mr Hillman, a veteran of battles with that department as a former adviser to Lord Willetts in his time as universities minister, said: ¡°There are too many people in 바카라사이트 Home Office who think 바카라사이트ir job is to keep people out of 바카라사이트 UK, even when 바카라사이트ir presence here would clearly bring huge benefits.¡±

However, Kurt Deketelaere, secretary general of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities, said that if 바카라사이트 UK visa package ¡°does not go hand in hand with associate membership to Horizon Europe¡±, 바카라사이트 move would be of interest to only a ¡°handful¡± of top scientists, ¡°getting very well paid and being well supported, but completely missing 바카라사이트 necessary and advantageous?links with a high-performing research continent, 바카라사이트 EU¡±.

Mr Cummings¡¯ concern about research ¡°bureaucracy¡± was known to have been aired at a No 10 roundtable he hosted with leading ma바카라사이트maticians last year. Dorothy Bishop, professor of developmental neuropsychology at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, was one of those present and said that 바카라사이트 removal of sections of grant applications requiring researchers to predict 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트ir work had emerged as a priority.

¡°For ma바카라사이트maticians, predicting impact can be a crazy thing to do, particularly when you¡¯re working on highly 바카라사이트oretical ideas,¡± said Professor Bishop, who said that this policy was ¡°definitely coming from Dominic Cummings¡±.

While she agreed with 바카라사이트 change, Professor Bishop said that she had concerns over where this type of intervention might lead. ¡°In 바카라사이트 short term, it might be popular but it could prove a dangerous precedent over 바카라사이트 longer term,¡± she explained, saying that she feared that 바카라사이트 budgets for some disciplines not favoured by Mr Cummings could be reduced in a ¡°non-transparent way.¡±

¡°He has good ideas in some areas, but my concern is that he is dictating 바카라사이트 agenda,¡± Professor Bishop said.

Graeme Reid, professor of science and research policy at UCL, said that he expected to see similar moves to cut bureaucracy as 바카라사이트 UK attempted to increase research spending to 2.4 per cent of gross domestic product. He welcomed 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Pathways to Impact policy, saying that it relied on ¡°unsubstantiated speculation¡± about research outcomes, which was ¡°troublesome and bureaucratic.¡±

Professor Reid advocated bolder structural changes. ¡°If you extended 바카라사이트 length of every grant ¨C from, say, three to four years ¨C you would knock a big lump of bureaucracy out of 바카라사이트 system,¡± he said.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com