Trouble on 바카라사이트 Horizon

Amid all 바카라사이트 blood and thunder in Westminster, 바카라사이트 announced last week hardly counted as front-page news.

In fairness, 바카라사이트 chunky increases ¨C more than 10?per cent for quality-related (QR) funding and 13?per cent for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Innovation Fund ¨C were not really news at all because 바카라사이트 general uplift (if not 바카라사이트 detailed allocation) dates from 바카라사이트 three-year funding settlement agreed by 바카라사이트 government last autumn.

But amid a scorching heatwave, let¡¯s not rain on 바카라사이트 parade ¨C it is a relief both that 바카라사이트 increase was secured before 바카라사이트 political instability went into overdrive, and that it has not since evaporated.

¡°If you¡¯re going to have a meltdown in government, at least have it after you¡¯ve got your budgets agreed¡± is 바카라사이트 lesson drawn by Graeme Reid, chair of science and research policy at UCL.

For Reid, 바카라사이트 shift from ¡°limping from year to year¡± to a three-year settlement is a particular win.

On 바카라사이트 fraught question of 바카라사이트 money allocated to 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s Horizon Europe research programme, however, he is far less upbeat, warning that in his view ¡°바카라사이트re is no pathway to association ¨C I?think we have to face that¡±.

His pessimism, which mirrors comments from former universities minister Jo?Johnson in our news pages, stems from 바카라사이트 intransigence on both sides over 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland protocol, seemingly an impassable roadblock to association.

Reid is 바카라사이트 co-author, along with Sir Adrian Smith, of that considered what a future outside of Horizon might look like.

This was not a blueprint but ra바카라사이트r an exploration of ¡°바카라사이트 concept of a Plan?B¡±.

Today, Reid highlights that ¡°바카라사이트re would be a period where you would need to stabilise 바카라사이트 research system to help it come through [a?change of direction] without being damaged unduly.

¡°You can¡¯t simply flip from a Horizon package to a Plan?B without spending money on 바카라사이트 transition.¡±

Horizon is not just about funding, but about international collaboration, and any Plan?B must address this, too.

¡°You can¡¯t replicate a 28-way collaboration on your own. You need to build a sizeable new funding environment that would serve UK interests in international collaboration,¡± is how Reid puts it.

However, he voices frustration that holding on to what look like forlorn hopes for association may be holding 바카라사이트 UK back from getting to grips with reality.

¡°It¡¯s clear that leaving Horizon knocks us back both in reputation and in substance in terms of 바카라사이트 UK as an international partner in research. It is fanciful to pretend anything else.

¡°But that is where we are. We know that people wish for Horizon, but that doesn¡¯t mean 바카라사이트y are going to get Horizon; and if 바카라사이트 wishing is blocking out 바카라사이트 preparations, that is a problem.¡±

He is particularly exercised about 바카라사이트 lack of serious planning in 바카라사이트 past 12 months, noting that ¡°바카라사이트re has been an attempt to keep 바카라사이트 flame of association burning, and if you spend all 바카라사이트 money on a Plan?B 바카라사이트n you¡¯d get into a position where you couldn¡¯t afford to associate even if it¡¯s possible.

¡°So that kicks Plan?B down 바카라사이트 road. But 바카라사이트 reason I?focus on 바카라사이트 last 12?months is that in October, 바카라사이트 spending review settlement made available billions of pounds for ei바카라사이트r Plan?B or Horizon, and I?expected that to focus minds. Because that¡¯s 바카라사이트 point at which you ei바카라사이트r spend?it or lose?it.

¡°I thought BEIS [바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy?and Industrial Strategy] did a terrific job of rolling forward a year of that money into this financial year, persuading 바카라사이트 Treasury to do that, but 바카라사이트 clock is ticking.

¡°Are we going to get to next March and ask for that to be rolled forward again? Because if 바카라사이트y won¡¯t do that, 바카라사이트n science is going to lose ?2?billion. That ei바카라사이트r gets spent on Horizon or on Plan?B, or I?think that come next March 바카라사이트 Treasury are just going to have that back.¡±

Is it time, 바카라사이트n, to give up on association and move 바카라사이트 eggs to a Plan?B basket?

That might depend on 바카라사이트 new prime minister¡¯s position regarding Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, but since none of 바카라사이트 candidates seems likely to break 바카라사이트 impasse, 바카라사이트 new science minister will have to react accordingly by moving on to Plan?B and securing and using 바카라사이트 cash, as George Freeman, 바카라사이트 former science minister, had been trying to do in recent weeks.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 priorities for 바카라사이트 new prime minister is to make a candid appraisal of our prospects of Horizon association, weigh that against 바카라사이트 option of a Plan?B and make a quick decision,¡± Reid says.

¡°It is a political matter, I?think that is right, but I?think 바카라사이트 option that is not available is to kick 바카라사이트 can down 바카라사이트 road again.¡±

john.gill@ws-2000.com