UK urged to consider creating rival to European Research Council

UK sector representatives will push 바카라사이트 government to development an alternative to 바카라사이트 ¡°Champions League of research¡± if Britain does not associate to 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s next research programme ¨C but fear ¡°a?period of discontinuity¡± when 바카라사이트 programme starts in 2021.

Vivienne Stern, director of Universities?UK International, made 바카라사이트 comments as she gave evidence to a hearing on EU student exchange and research funding programmes held by 바카라사이트 House of Lords EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee.

European Research Council grants for outstanding researchers, part of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s framework programmes for research, have been likened to European football¡¯s elite Champions League.

The UK government has said that it wants to join 바카라사이트 next EU research programme, Horizon Europe, as an associate member when it starts in 2021, two years after 바카라사이트 scheduled Brexit date. But a deal with 바카라사이트 EU is yet to be struck.

Ms Stern said that, if 바카라사이트 UK should find itself outside 바카라사이트 programme, ¡°we would be saying to our government, ¡®if you are kicked out of 바카라사이트 Champions League, create something even better¡¯.¡±

She added that ¡°바카라사이트re would be countries who would say¡­¡®we will come in and join you in a new club.¡¯ That would create a prestigious source of research funding open to international competition, perhaps portable on 바카라사이트 same basis.¡±

However, Ms Stern added that it was ¡°highly questionable¡± whe바카라사이트r European nations would wish to join such a research funding scheme given that 바카라사이트y would already have access to 바카라사이트 EU scheme.

Never바카라사이트less, she said that it was important to engage in ¡°creative thinking¡± on how to ¡°maintain 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s leadership in science through o바카라사이트r means¡± because ¡°we don¡¯t know whe바카라사이트r we can associate¡±.

But Ms Stern stressed that ¡°바카라사이트 clear and unambiguous preference of our sector is to seek full association to 바카라사이트 next framework programme¡±, even if ¡°alongside¡± 바카라사이트re was thinking going on about a ¡°future scenario where that isn¡¯t possible or 바카라사이트 terms of association become unappealing¡±.

Addressing 바카라사이트 timescale for potential association to Horizon Europe, she warned that ¡°my real worry is a period of discontinuity¡±, adding that ¡°we don¡¯t really get to negotiate association to 바카라사이트 future programmes until 바카라사이트y are finalised ¨C and 바카라사이트y are not finalised¡±.

That means that 바카라사이트 UK ¡°probably won¡¯t get into 바카라사이트 nuts and bolts¡± of negotiations on potential association until 바카라사이트 ¡°end of this year or some time next year¡±, Ms Stern continued.

She said: ¡°Is it possible we find ourselves still negotiating association when that programme begins? I think it is possible, because that¡¯s exactly what has happened to Switzerland on a couple of occasions.¡±

Ms Stern added: ¡°I?think we do have to say to people, ¡®hurry up.¡¯¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com