Universities UK is calling on the government to take urgent steps
to prevent the UK from losing out on hundreds of millions of
pounds worth of research grants if there is a no-deal Brexit.
The UK government has not explained how it will ensure that
applications from researchers at UK universities for European
Research Council (ERC) awards will be funded if they are in the
middle of the evaluation process, or what future system will be
put in place to replace funding for world-leading research, in
the event of no-deal. This means life-changing discoveries and
leading researchers tackling some of society’s major health and
environmental challenges could be left in limbo.
The UK was the most successful country in the last round of ERC
Advanced Grants, with 66 applicants awarded up to 2.5 million
Euros each – a total of €155 million in funding.
Current applicants are set to find out whether they have been
awarded funding from the latest round of ERC Advanced Grants by 8
April 2019, with the next call for applications opening on 21 May
2019.
The UK is leaving the EU on 29 March 2019 without a deal unless
all the EU leaders agree to delay Brexit or a deal is agreed by
parliament.
Universities UK is calling on UK government to clarify the
situation immediately.
Professor Dame Janet Beer, President of Universities UK,
said: “Researchers at UK universities doing
life-changing work remain in the dark over what will happen to
their current ERC applications or where they will go in future
for funding, if there is no-deal.
“Without clarity very soon vital research could be disrupted
which would be hugely damaging to people’s lives. The UK also
risks losing some of our brightest minds to other countries, if
they don’t know how their research will be progressed.”
ERC grants are among the most prestigious research grants in the
world and boast a strong track record in funding life-changing
and high-impact research projects, with six grantees winning
Nobel Prizes for their contributions since the ERC was
established in 2007.
Examples of ERC-funded research that has taken place in the UK
include;
As well as ERC grants, access to Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action
fellowships, which fund UK academics to spend time with overseas
research teams, and vice-versa, is at risk. The next call is due
to open on 9 April 2019, with many potential applicants already
at an advanced stage of planning. A no-deal Brexit would mean
UK-based applicants will not be able to apply for these grants,
costing universities around £1.1 billion in research
funding.
Notes
- At the
start of this year, Universities UK signed an open letter warning
of the risks for research, staff and students if the UK leaves
the EU without a deal. It can be readhere
- For
more information on European Research Council Advanced Grants,
see here
- For
more information Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action Individual
Fellowships, see here
- The
Prime Minister made assurances that leaving the EU would not
impact on researchers studying in the UK in May 2018
- To
view more projects enabled by ERC Advanced Grants funding,
see here
- UUK’s
official advice to government on the risks to universities if the
UK leaves the European Union (EU) without a deal can be
found here
- Based
on current success rates and projected budgets for ERC and MSCA
funding, Universities UK estimates that universities would expect
to receive around €1.3 billion (£1.1 billion) in research funding
between 29 March 2019 and the end of Horizon 2020 programme on 31
December 2020.
