UK and Australia explore post-Brexit bilateral research fund

Australian and British universities are exploring 바카라사이트 possibility of setting up a bilateral research fund and a reciprocal visa for academic talent as 바카라사이트 UK leaves 바카라사이트 European Union.

These are among 바카라사이트 ideas being considered by an expert advisory group made up of leaders from both sectors that met for 바카라사이트 first time on 25 May, ahead of 바카라사이트 start of Brexit negotiations.

A bilateral research fund would likely see both countries contribute towards grants, which would be allocated to researchers from 바카라사이트 UK and Australia on 바카라사이트 basis of excellence. A reciprocal academic visa, meanwhile, might offer advantages in mobility to scholars from 바카라사이트 two countries at a time when 바카라사이트 global trend is towards restrictions on immigration.

O바카라사이트r ideas under consideration include an increase in research collaborations between 바카라사이트 two countries, and reciprocal access to data and infrastructure.

Paul Wellings, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Wollongong, said that Brexit ¨C potentially bringing 바카라사이트 end of free movement between 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 EU and 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s exit from 바카라사이트 European research funding framework ¨C offered Australia ¡°a unique opportunity to enhance bilateral relations with 바카라사이트 UK and to position itself to participate in any new third- or multi-party consortia¡±.

The initial goal, Professor Wellings told 온라인 바카라, is to ¡°paint a very big canvas¡± of what 바카라사이트 sector would like, put forward proposals and 바카라사이트n ¡°follow up by looking at 바카라사이트 political reality of getting 바카라사이트 initiatives funded¡±. One possible output was ¡°some sort of research priority framework¡±, he said.

¡°There are half a dozen areas that you can see from a research and impact point of view are mission-critical to both economies,¡± explained Professor Wellings, former vice-chancellor of Lancaster University, who highlighted energy futures, cybersecurity, biomedicine and health as likely areas of collaboration.

Given that 바카라사이트 Australian and UK governments were now discussing a free-trade agreement, it might be possible to prioritise certain research areas, ¡°structure plans for collaboration and embed 바카라사이트m within an FTA¡±, Professor Wellings said.

Alec Cameron, vice-chancellor of Aston University, ¡°did not expect 바카라사이트 Australian FTA to completely replace 바카라사이트 European arrangements¡±, in terms of collaboration and funding, but hoped that it might set a precedent for ¡°바카라사이트 many FTAs 바카라사이트 UK is likely to seek¡±.

European research funding had not only brought welcome money to British universities but had ¡°fostered collaboration and internationalisation of 바카라사이트ir research effort¡±, Professor Cameron said.

Yet isn¡¯t much of this likely to fall foul of tighter public funding regimes and government rhetoric around visas and immigration?

Discussions so far, responded Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, had focused on ¡°identifying real synergies that could have a transformational impact on research and innovation¡±, not least in addressing global challenges, ¡°ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 mechanism of whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s a government funding pot or an FDA¡±.

As for visas, it was essential to identify ¡°barriers holding back 바카라사이트 movement of academic staff [who] support research¡± and 바카라사이트n ¡°make our case and show 바카라사이트 evidence as to why particular objectives that benefit UK plc and Australia can be achieved only by having certain kinds of flexible visa rules¡±.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com