No good outcome for science from Brexit

The Russell group of the UK’s leading research universities has warned there will be no winners from a Brexit settlement that introduces new barriers restricting international research collaboration.

Highlighting the value of collaborations between Russell group universities and their partners in Europe, Tim Bradshaw, the group’s director called on EU and UK negotiators to make science and research a priority during Brexit talks, as the EU Council authorised the opening of the negotiations.

A good outcome for science will not happen by accident, Bradshaw said, pledging the Russell group will work with all sides to secure a positive outcome.

“Working together, Russell group universities and European partners have made huge breakthroughs in medicine, engineering and any number of other fields. Joint working will continue after Brexit, but there would be no winners from restrictive new barriers to collaboration,” Bradshaw said. That would be bad for the UK and Europe.

“We want to maintain the closest possible relationship with colleagues across the EU, and research must be a priority during talks,” said Bradshaw. That should start with confirmation of the rights of colleagues and students from other EU Member States.

There are 86,000 citizens of EU27 member states working and studying at Russell group universities. “We value our EU colleagues very highly and need urgent assurances that, after Brexit, they will retain the same rights to stay and work in the UK that they have now.”

But said Bradshaw, a good outcome for science will not happen by accident. “Securing a strong deal for the UK and the EU will take hard work and we will engage constructively with all sides to ensure we get an agreement that delivers on research. Nearly half of all UK academic articles result from international collaboration and EU member states are some of our biggest partners.”