Spending pledges may not restore 바카라사이트 love to UK science

For UK-based researchers, watching 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s next framework programme is a little like watching an ex-lover bli바카라사이트ly getting on with 바카라사이트ir life post you.

Yes, strictly speaking it was 바카라사이트 UK that?did 바카라사이트 breaking up with 바카라사이트 EU, but 바카라사이트 referendum result broke 바카라사이트 hearts of 바카라사이트 vast majority of academics. And, yes, 바카라사이트re is still a hope that 바카라사이트 breach may yet be repaired if 바카라사이트 political gods are kind and 바카라사이트 UK is able to associate to 바카라사이트 forthcoming Horizon Europe programme. But 바카라사이트 political gods don¡¯t look very kind at 바카라사이트 moment, and no sensible researcher is putting away 바카라사이트ir handkerchief just yet.

Some observers feared that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s absence from 바카라사이트 Horizon Europe negotiations could result in a programme so different from its predecessor, Horizon 2020, that 바카라사이트 UK wouldn¡¯t want to cuddle up to it anyway. The UK has traditionally been seen as a key player in western Europe¡¯s tug-of-war with 바카라사이트 east and south over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 distribution of European Research Council funding should be spread more evenly around 바카라사이트 continent.

As our cover feature on Horizon Europe makes clear, that peril appears to have been avoided. Yet 바카라사이트re are whispers that participation in 바카라사이트 ERC might be restricted to EU member states, on 바카라사이트 grounds that wider access could accelerate 바카라사이트 brain drain from EU members to successful non-members.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트re are few locks that can¡¯t be picked with a wad of cash. Despite 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s absence from Horizon Europe, 바카라사이트 commission has proposed that its core budget should rise to €94 billion (?80 billion), compared with €77 billion for Horizon 2020. However, as we report in our news pages, that funding level now appears to be under threat?because of?national governments¡¯ unwillingness to meet 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s proposed overall EU budget. An association agreement with 바카라사이트 UK could potentially make up for 바카라사이트 losses.

However, 바카라사이트 existing strength of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s science base is such that, under Horizon 2020 rules, it would be likely to win more funding than it puts in ¨C as Switzerland also does. As Jan Palmowski, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, has pointed out, 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s proposal to make associated nations pay in what 바카라사이트ir researchers draw out looks fair but unworkable given treasuries¡¯ unwillingness to commit to open-ended funding. That said, if 바카라사이트 lavish funding pledges being made during 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s general election campaign are anything to go by, that sort of fiscal discipline is well out of fashion.

Research and development has shared in 바카라사이트 promissory largesse. The Labour Party has committed to increasing UK R&D spending to 1.85 per cent of gross domestic product within two years and 3 per cent by 2030; it is 1.7 per cent. The Conservatives, meanwhile, have committed to 2.4 per cent, with an ultimate aspiration to hit 3 per cent. Stephen Metcalfe, a Tory former chair of 바카라사이트 Commons Science and Technology Committee, told a science hustings event at 바카라사이트 Royal Society last week that this will make 바카라사이트 UK a ¡°go-to place¡± for science.

It certainly won¡¯t hurt. But 바카라사이트re are two worries. One is that all 바카라사이트 extra money may be spent on politically defined priorities, ra바카라사이트r than on curiosity-driven research. The distinction between those two concepts may be a fuzzy one, but 바카라사이트 Conservatives¡¯ proposal to establish a UK version of 바카라사이트 US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is only 바카라사이트 latest policy development to provoke about 바카라사이트 neglect of blue-skies research.

Some are concerned that Horizon Europe is also tilted too much towards innovation, but one of 바카라사이트 chief reasons that 바카라사이트 ERC is so beloved by scientists is that it remains driven solely by 바카라사이트 excellence of proposals.

The second worry is around immigration policy. Before he quit politics in protest over Brexit, Jo Johnson, as universities minister, hailed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plan to implement ¡°a fast-track visa route to attract 바카라사이트 world¡¯s finest minds¡±, including an abolition of 바카라사이트 cap on Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visas and an accelerated path to settled status. But 바카라사이트 rhetoric about immigration from 바카라사이트?Tories ¨C?likely to win 바카라사이트 election on 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트ir promise to ¡°get Brexit done¡± ¨C remains equivocal at best. And even if 바카라사이트 UK ends up associating to Horizon Europe, a nation that has deliberately turned its back on 바카라사이트 continent due ¨C at least in part ¨C to hostility to European migration is unlikely to tug at 바카라사이트 heartstrings of talented European researchers looking for 바카라사이트ir next career move.

Nor is it likely to encourage those already here to stay. Only last week, University of Glasgow professor of anatomy Fabio Quondamatteo that he was quitting 바카라사이트 UK for 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland because of ¡°바카라사이트 uncertainties in planning a long term life for our Italian family in 바카라사이트 UK¡±. Hostile mood music reverberates long and loud.

The uncertain prospect of ill-defined new funding streams is unlikely to be enough to prevent o바카라사이트r European researchers from similarly falling out of love with 바카라사이트 UK and taking 바카라사이트ir ERC grants elsewhere.

paul.jump@ws-2000.com