UK government should act now to protect science after Brexit vote, say academies

Brexit is already hurting British science and urgent action is needed to address the problem, UK national academies, representing science, medicine and engineering, have told the government.

A joint letter from seven academies warns that the UK's world-leading position is at risk. “The result of the EU referendum presents a challenge to maintaining excellence,” it says.

“The current uncertainty is having immediate implications and raises many questions. A bold public commitment from the government that the UK wishes to retain and build this excellence is required to assuage any loss of confidence in UK research.”

The letter is signed by the presidents of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the British Academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Royal Irish Academy and the Learned Society of Wales.

The group say they want continued access to EU science funding and, “the closest achievable association with the EU research programmes.”

Access to EU research programmes is worth about €1 billion a year to British researchers and companies. From 2007 - 2013 the UK scooped €6.9 billion from the EU science programme.

Equally, the academics want to maintain access to research networks built up across Europe over the years. “It is not only the scale of funding that is significant, but also the intrinsically collaborative nature of these programmes that allow UK researchers to achieve more than they would alone,” they say.

There are currently 43,000 EU scientists in the UK and 1,300 European Research Council grant holders.

“We believe it is vital that UK-based researchers and staff from other EU countries are given assurances that they and their dependents will be able to continue to live and work here. Similarly, opportunities need to be safeguarded for UK researchers to gain experience in other EU countries,” the letter says.

The academics also appeal for the government to retain EU rules and standards which they say, “Provide a strong platform for the exchange of people, ideas and data for research.”

“The UK has been able to shape the EU research and innovation agenda in a way that reinforces our strengths. A movement away from common rules may increase the time and cost to UK research, scholarship and innovation. It is critical that we identify those areas of regulation where alignment with EU rules is most important for the UK’s competitiveness, and that UK experts remain fully engaged in shaping the development of standards and regulations.”

A new British government led by Theresa May assumed power last week. She has reappointed Jo Johnson as universities and science minister. However, the role has been split between the business department and the education department.

The UK minister for life sciences, George Freeman, has been moved on to a post in the so-called department for Brexit, and has not been replaced.

Last week Johnson announced a dedicated unit to collect examples of discrimination in EU research consortia, amid anecdotes that British scientists are being side-lined in projects since the vote to leave the EU on June 23.

Johnson and EU research commissioner Carlos Moedas will be appearing on the same platform next Monday, at the Euroscience Open Forum meeting in Manchester. Johnson has pledged to keep Moedas informed of any discrimination against UK researchers in bidding for Horizon 2020 grants.