Re:UK scientists dropped from EU projects because of post-Br...
by dekhn on Tuesday July 12, 2016 @12:35PM
(#12080447)
I am still having trouble seeing, for certain and without ambiguity, that Brext itself implies that UK researchers can't be listed on future projects. is that a straight-line, 100% implication? Everything I've read about Brexit suggests that nobody can predict the specifics about what will happen, when it will happen, or how much will actually happen.
Re:UK scientists dropped from EU projects because of post-Br...
by _delirium on Tuesday July 12, 2016 @12:36PM
(#12080455)
You're correct, basically nobody knows what will happen. That's why many people don't want a UK partner in current applications (or at least prefer a different partner if a suitable one can be found), because they don't want this risk that, in 2 or 3 years, the UK partner might have to withdraw, if the UK leaves the EU research programmes. They might not have to withdraw, too, but nobody knows for sure, so it's a risk. Hopefully by next funding round the UK's intentions/timeline will be clearer, so people will either unambiguously know that the UK will stay in the EU research programme long-term, or that it won't.
Re:UK scientists dropped from EU projects because of post-Br...
by dekhn on Tuesday July 12, 2016 @12:38PM
(#12080471)
Thanks for clarifying that this is just risk estimation based on not knowing what the outcome is. There is also a risk in not including UK institutions- they have some mighty fine researchers there, so not including them might lead to a project not being approved (for lack of continental experts in a specific topic) or being unsuccessful (for lack of execution capabilities).
It's trading a well-understood risk for a one that is not well-understood, hence my comment about it being irrational.
In general a partner dropping out of a project partway through is very disruptive, so you like to avoid it. You want partners who will still be there for at least 4 years from now: 1 year for the application preparation/review, plus 3 years for the project if the application is successful. Many people are not sure if that will be true of UK partners; can you say, today, that the UK will still be part of the EU funding mechanisms through 2020? I think there's a good chance they will be, even if they leave the EU (they will probably end up joining the research framework a la carte, like Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland have). But I could forgive people for considering it a risk they'd rather avoid.