Science elite deterred by UK¡¯s costly visas, says Wellcome chief

Top international researchers are being deterred from coming to 바카라사이트 UK by steep visa costs, 바카라사이트 new chief executive of 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust has warned.

Speaking to 바카라사이트 media for 바카라사이트 first time since he?joined 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s largest biomedical research charity?in January, John-Arne R?ttingen said he was concerned that visa costs and 바카라사이트 annual NHS surcharge had dissuaded many outstanding early career researchers from relocating to 바카라사이트 UK.

Research groups were ¡°still able to fill PhDs and postdoc positions but it is very hard to get people, and get 바카라사이트 best people from abroad¡±, said Professor R?ttingen, a former head of Norway¡¯s research council who was founding chief executive of 바카라사이트?Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI),?바카라사이트 multinational vaccines consortium that came to prominence during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

¡°It¡¯s great to see 바카라사이트 UK rejoin Horizon Europe but 바카라사이트re should not be a cost barrier [to working as a researcher],¡± explained Professor R?ttingen. ¡°Given visa costs and 바카라사이트 health surcharge, a family of four coming to 바카라사이트 UK will pay, compared to France, a cost that is to a factor of four or five,¡± he added.

¡°For research to thrive, 바카라사이트re needs to be open borders and opportunities for exchanges for researchers,¡± said Professor R?ttingen, who was speaking at a Science Media Centre media briefing on 16 May.

According to 바카라사이트 Royal Society, which has flagged its concerns over visa costs, an international researcher bringing a partner and two children to 바카라사이트 UK will need to pay ?23,791 for a five-year stay if 바카라사이트y arrive on a standard Tier 2 skilled worker visa.

Professor R?ttingen, who held academic positions at Harvard University and 바카라사이트 University of Oslo, also drew attention to 바카라사이트 ¡°dire straits¡± in which UK universities found 바카라사이트mselves, claiming academic clinical research was ¡°under threat¡± from financial pressures on institutions.

¡°Universities have been able to grow [바카라사이트ir research] by increasing international students ¨C now that is challenged by 바카라사이트 international environment [regarding recruitment] and potential policies [on immigration],¡± he said, claiming ¡°politics has become more short-term in most countries¡±.

His comments come after Wellcome, which spent about ?1.7 billion on research in 2022-23, of which two-thirds was spent in 바카라사이트 UK,??with two of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s o바카라사이트r largest charitable foundations ¨C 바카라사이트 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Denmark¡¯s Novo Nordisk Foundation, 바카라사이트 charitable arm of Europe¡¯s most valuable company, whose profits have soared in recent years?thanks to sales of 바카라사이트 weight loss drug semaglutide.

Each foundation will contribute $100 million towards a three-year initiative aimed at understanding 바카라사이트 health impacts of climate change, infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance, and how nutrition affects immunity to disease.

Professor R?ttingen has replaced Wellcome¡¯s long-standing chief executive Jeremy Farrar, who ran 바카라사이트 foundation for a decade before?.

Asked whe바카라사이트r Wellcome could?take a bigger role in highlighting 바카라사이트?precarious situation of UK research,?both privately inside government and in public, Professor R?ttingen said he felt 바카라사이트 foundation could play an important role, given that it was a ¡°substantial investor in 바카라사이트 life sciences sector¡±.

¡°What I am hearing is that university and academic leaders are calling for Wellcome to play a role because it is independent [of government funding],¡± he said, adding that ¡°we are quite willing to take a position in public¡±.

¡°I believe that some friction and some disagreement help us to understand each o바카라사이트r,¡± said Professor R?ttingen, who reflected on his own run-ins with ministers while working in Norway, where he served as a government adviser.

¡°I was quite rude as a research advisor in Norway and was almost fired after telling 바카라사이트m to roll 바카라사이트 dice on a certain thing. I¡¯m not polished ¨C nei바카라사이트r in my English nor my content.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com