Remaining in the European Union will allow the UK to continue its globally recognised research and tackle the most important challenges facing the world said the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge yesterday (25 Sept, 2015).
Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz warned in a keynote speech that the UK could lose its position as a leading light in European research and find itself on the fringes trying to “pick up the scraps”, if the UK pulled out of the EU.
Speaking at ‘Excellent research in the UK: Do we need the EU?’ the Vice-Chancellor said that 17 per cent of last year’s research income at the University, totalling £68 million, had come from the EU’s Horizon 2020 scheme– but he stressed that the importance of the Union went beyond its monetary value to UK institutions.
He said: “Even more than the funding, it is society, and society’s needs, that are the drivers that keep us going forward. In today’s competitive world we cannot stand alone.”
His speech came at the start of the event which was organised by the European Parliament Information Office, the International Unit of Universities UK, and the University of Cambridge.
The Vice-Chancellor said European collaborations drove the University’s fundamental purpose – to serve society through teaching, research and learning at the highest international standards of excellence.
He added: “Under Horizon 2020 we did something that was special. Europe made a statement to the whole world that it is going to be tackling global problems which are not just of petty interest in Cambridge, or East Anglia, or in the United Kingdom, but ones that will make a difference to the world – the world I am going to leave behind for my granddaughters.”
He added that issues like cancer, climate change and aging required research without boundaries, allowing free movement and collaboration between academics.
As an example he cited InnoLife Knowledge and Innovation Community, a €2.1bn project launched last year, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, to address the impact of ageing populations and dependence. It involves 144 European companies, research institutions and universities across nine EU countries, including the University of Cambridge.
“That scale is exactly what is needed if we are to overcome society’s grand challenges. Put simply, we cannot access the talent, develop the infrastructure or provide the funding at a national level.”
Being inside Europe allowed the UK to help shape policy said the Chancellor, adding: “I’d rather we stay in the boat, trying to shape and to lead research policy in Europe, than to stay on the side-lines picking up scraps.”
The event also featured talks from University of East Anglia Vice-Chancellor Professor David Richardson, MEP Vicky Ford, and Professors Gerry Gilmore and Florin Udrea of the University of Cambridge. A panel discussion was also held, led by BBC presenter Martine Croxall.
‘Excellent research in the UK: Do we need the EU?’ event held at Downing College, Cambridge
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