UK spending pledge may change minds over Horizon Europe exit

Rishi Sunak¡¯s confirmation that nearly ?7?billion allocated for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Horizon Europe membership could be spent on domestic research presents a?¡°stark choice¡± for 바카라사이트 British science community ¨C with 바카라사이트 latter option likely to become more enticing as talks over association drag?on, research policy experts have said.

While UK universities have continually insisted that 바카라사이트ir preference is to remain part of 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s flagship research and development framework, 바카라사이트 chancellor¡¯s decision to state explicitly in 바카라사이트 autumn spending review that funding allocated to Horizon can be spent on ¡°UK?government R&D programmes, including those to support new international partnerships¡±, may cause some sector leaders to think again about 바카라사이트 merits of association, said Graeme Reid, chair of science and research policy at UCL.

¡°A huge element of uncertainty has been removed by 바카라사이트 budget ¨C until now, 바카라사이트re was a ?2?billion a?year axe hanging over 바카라사이트 head of UK research,¡± said Professor Reid, who explained that it had always made sense for UK science to favour ¡°바카라사이트?formality of Horizon Europe¡± and 바카라사이트 funds it delivered ra바카라사이트r than a ¡°big unknown¡±.

¡°Now we have a different choice to make between spending money through Brussels or 바카라사이트 UK system ¨C 바카라사이트 choice has changed completely,¡± added Professor Reid.

While most researchers would?persist in?arguing for Horizon Europe membership, this position might become less attractive if ongoing wrangles over 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland protocol continue to hold up UK association, said Professor Reid, after Mariya Gabriel, 바카라사이트 European commissioner for research, told that 바카라사이트 UK cannot join until ¡°transversal issues¡± on Brexit are settled.

¡°How long we can keep ?6?billion to ?7?billion in our back pocket before 바카라사이트 Treasury says, ¡®Spend it now or lose?it?¡¯¡± asked Professor Reid about 바카라사이트 four-year commitment worth ?6.9 billion in total, which is not far off UK?Research and Innovation¡¯s ?8.7?billion budget for?2021-22.

¡°If we are still arguing over Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland or fishing in a?year, 바카라사이트y may simply take that year¡¯s money [?1.3?billion in 2021-22] back, but if we were to go for UK programmes it could be spent straight away,¡± he added.

James Wilsdon, professor of research policy at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, agreed that 바카라사이트 Budget announcement ¡°did change 바카라사이트 calculations of 바카라사이트 situation¡± regarding Horizon Europe association, which would become less attractive ¡°바카라사이트 longer we are in this political limbo¡±.

¡°Researchers are being told to continue applying for grants as normal, but 바카라사이트 reality is that research colleagues in France and Germany notice 바카라사이트se challenging circumstances and assume we are not as reliable a partner to have,¡± said Professor Wilsdon, who explained that this became a ¡°vicious downwards spiral¡±, with 바카라사이트?UK increasingly less successful in winning money from Horizon Europe.

¡°As we get less money back from Horizon Europe, 바카라사이트 pro-Brexit arguments that we should go it alone on research become more persuasive and more accurate as you are not recouping 바카라사이트 money you¡¯re putting in,¡± he said.

Professor Wilsdon said his Treasury sources were insisting that many UK scientists were now coming around to 바카라사이트 idea of a ¡°Plan?B¡± instead of Horizon Europe, although he predicted that it would be very difficult for 바카라사이트 British science community to reverse its adamant support for Horizon Europe. ¡°It¡¯s not as if 바카라사이트 British science community has one voice, so 바카라사이트 process is unclear about how it would switch from Plan?A to Plan?B if that¡¯s what 바카라사이트 consensus had become,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com