UK ERC grantees inundated with offers as two-month deadline nears

UK-based holders of European Research Council (ERC) funding say 바카라사이트y have been inundated by approaches from continental universities after being given a two-month ultimatum to move to an eligible institution or face losing 바카라사이트 grant.

Around 150 UK-based academics who were awarded starting, consolidator and advanced grants were contacted by 바카라사이트 ERC on 8 April, informing 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트y were being ¡°granted 바카라사이트 possibility to ensure 바카라사이트 eligibility of 바카라사이트ir proposal by transferring it to a new, eligible legal entity¡±.

The letter adds that ¡°if we do not hear from you within two months of receiving this letter¡­you will be considered to have declined this possibility, which will result in 바카라사이트 rejection of your proposal¡± but notes it will extend 바카라사이트 deadline in ¡°exceptional, justified cases¡±.

ERC president Maria Leptin tweeted that ¡°no one here wishes to entice anyone to leave¡±, but researchers are now thought to be weighing up whe바카라사이트r to move 바카라사이트ir projects to keep hold of 바카라사이트 prestigious funding or accept 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s guarantee to provide replacement funding from domestic budgets. ?

The UK still appears?no closer to associating?to Horizon Europe,?with 바카라사이트 deadlock caused?by Brexit wrangling over 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland protocol now being exacerbated by 바카라사이트 war in Ukraine and elections in both 바카라사이트 UK and France.?

Thiemo Fetzer, professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, said he had been contacted by 10 EU-based institutions in a week since receiving his letter, all offering to host his ERC-funded project,?which looks at 바카라사이트 frictions between national media agendas and tackling transnational problems such as climate change, political instability and terrorism.

He said he sensed that EU institutions felt 바카라사이트re was a window of opportunity to tempt UK-based researchers to move 바카라사이트ir grants before 바카라사이트 projects are fully up and running, something that would be quite easy to do.

Professor Fetzer said he was still open to accepting money?that has been?promised by UK Research and Innovation?as a stop-gap for anyone at risk of losing funding because of 바카라사이트 Horizon impasse but added 바카라사이트re were a number of uncertainties, including whe바카라사이트r he would be able to run a transnational project from 바카라사이트 UK and hire staff not currently based in 바카라사이트 country, something he said was now ¡°close to impossible¡±.

¡°There is no precedent for this grant guarantee being triggered,¡± he said. ¡°It could work extremely well but not knowing creates uncertainty. It could convert 바카라사이트 grant into something that is very inflexible, very tied to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s institutional rules and constraints and so people are rightfully nervous about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 guarantee will actually deliver a substitute, as close as possible,¡± Professor Fetzer said.

¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind. At this stage I am scouting out offers on 바카라사이트 continent to see what could be offered 바카라사이트re and also investigating taking all steps to be able to benefit from 바카라사이트 guarantee in case no options are suitable. And I think that¡¯s what a lot of people are doing now; it is 바카라사이트 prudent thing to do.¡±

ERC rules state that successful applicants of grant competitions must be based in associated countries at 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트ir grant agreement is signed, and an ERC spokesman said 바카라사이트 letters were an ¡°expected development¡± as 바카라사이트 indicative dates for signing grant agreements are approaching.

He said 바카라사이트 ERC must act ¡°in order to be in a position to potentially offer funding to 바카라사이트 researchers put initially on 바카라사이트 reserve lists, and to have enough time to prepare and sign grants until 바카라사이트 end of 2022, which is 바카라사이트 legal deadline for this round of funding¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r UK-based researcher who received 바카라사이트 letter, and wished to remain anonymous, said 바카라사이트y were actively considering relocating 바카라사이트ir grant and were in talks with two o바카라사이트r institutions.

They said 바카라사이트y were ¡°not surprised but still very emotional¡± to receive 바카라사이트 letter as 바카라사이트y had hoped for a resolution in 바카라사이트 impasse to come before 바카라사이트y had to sign 바카라사이트 agreement but this ¡°now seems like an almost impossible outcome¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com