The new year saw both the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition set out their ambitions for the country, with both identifying the critical role of research and innovation (R&I) in addressing the challenges the country is facing.
It is heartening to see their acknowledgement of the crucial role universities have in driving innovation, which in turn leads to the creation of new businesses, new jobs, and improving wages.
However, over the coming weeks and months, we will begin to see 166 university led R&I projects across the UK put at risk as EU structural funding comes to an end. This contradiction appears to result of a lack of joined up thinking in UK government more than any strategic decision-making.
A significant consequence of Brexit is that European funding for R&I in the UK will come to an end. Most of these R&I collaborations were funded through framework programmes such as Horizon Europe, the world’s largest R&I funding scheme.
