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The EU and the UK benefit immensely from collaboration in this area as acknowledged by Michel Barnier and Theresa May. Both sides want co-operation.
Yet timing is critical. While the phase one Brexit deal agreed last year was good news — the UK will continue to participate in the EU’s research framework and Erasmus+ exchange programme until 2020 — we cannot be complacent. The EU proposals for the successor research and education programmes are being considered now and the new programmes will begin the day after the transition period ends (1 January 2021). Any delay to the final EU-UK Brexit deal would see the programmes start but with the UK excluded from the initial wave of research and education partnerships. This would be mutually damaging.
The ultimate aim should be to secure UK participation as a full associate country in the successor to the EU’s research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 and to Erasmus+. Early fruitful negotiation on research and education as part of the wider negotiations would provide reassurance that a deep and constructive relationship between the EU and UK is feasible in all areas.
This would be a win-win for all Europeans.
Professor Paul BoyleVice-chancellor University of Leicester and vice-president European University Association Leicester UK
Professor Martine RahierVice-president European University Association Neuchâtel Switzerland
Professor Sir Steve SmithVice-chancellor University of Exeter and Chair of Universities UK International Policy Network Exeter UK
Professor Rolf TarrachPresident European University Association Brussels Belgium
Original article.
Rolf Tarrach is European University Association President. Professor Tarrach has been a EUA Council Member for ten years, and continues to be a professor of Physics at the University of Luxembourg.
Paul Boyle is President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester and Vice President of the European University Association
Prof. Martine Rahier is EUA Vice-President and Chair of EUA Research Policy Working Group. She is a biologist, former Rector of University of Neuchatel (2008-2016) and founding President of “swissuniversities” (2013-2015).
Vice-chancellor, University of Exeter and Chair of Universities UK International Policy Network, Exeter, UK