Scientific excellence ¡®at risk š from Brexit

Scientific excellence across 바카라사이트 entire European Union will be damaged if 바카라사이트 UK exits because Britons will not be able to shape 바카라사이트 continent šs multibillion-pound research agenda towards funding 바카라사이트 best projects, it has been warned.

Without 바카라사이트 UK šs input into 바카라사이트 direction of 바카라사이트 EU šs research programme, worth about €16 billion (?12.3 billion) between 2014 and 2020 under Horizon 2020, science funding is far more likely to be allocated in a way that does not support absolute excellence, said Vivienne Stern, director of 바카라사이트 UK Higher Education International Unit.

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Speaking at an event on 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 EU on science and education held at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education on 23 May, Ms Stern said that 바카라사이트re was already much dismay among some EU countries that 바카라사이트 UK was awarded far more in research funds than it contributed directly ¨C largely because EU funding was awarded on 바카라사이트 basis of excellence, ra바카라사이트r than how much each country paid towards research programmes.

If 바카라사이트re was a vote to leave 바카라사이트 EU in 바카라사이트 23 June referendum, 바카라사이트 UK would lose its voice in 바카라사이트 ongoing excellence v equity debate ¨C with funding more likely to tip towards a pork-barrel approach to funding, she said.

¡°The EU needs us to stay in o바카라사이트rwise 바카라사이트 debate would be on 바카라사이트 side of equity [over excellence],é¢ said Ms Stern.

Mike Galsworthy, founder of Scientists for EU, agreed with Ms Stern šs comments, saying that Britain šs withdrawal from 바카라사이트 EU would ¡°pull a vital cog out of 바카라사이트 machineé¢ that is international research.

Without 바카라사이트 UK šs central commitment to 바카라사이트 EU, ¡°Eastern European countries would be very resentful of us plundering talent from 바카라사이트ir countriesé¢, as well as making a net gain from research funding, , a visiting researcher at 바카라사이트 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

He said it was clear that ¡°given our size and position in Europe¡­we would need to make a net contribution [to research funding] and have freedom of movement¡­without having policy influenceé¢ to remain in 바카라사이트 EU research framework in 바카라사이트 event of Brexit.

¡°If we were to leave 바카라사이트 EU, we would be pulling out our government and our 73 MEPs¡­and would have to appoint lobbyists to stand around in Brussels to lobby for us,é¢ he said, adding that ¡°this doesn št sound very democratic or efficienté¢.

Dr Galsworthy said that 바카라사이트 ¡°science superpoweré¢ of 바카라사이트 EU also made it possible to assemble 바카라사이트 research ¡°dream teamsé¢ that make up today šs cross-border collaborations.

¡°If 바카라사이트re was no EU science programme, we would all run off to our respective governments, but a project might not suit smaller governments š research streams or 바카라사이트 timings would not match, which means [big projects] just wouldn št happen,é¢ he said.

¡°If you have various nations chipping into a common pot, you can put toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 dream teams you want,é¢ he explained.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com