• Question: Do you think science could be effected I we leave the EU?

    Asked by jellyfish to Abbie, Melanie, Paul, Stu, Tom on 8 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Abbie Hutty

      Abbie Hutty answered on 8 Mar 2016:

      A lot more scientists seem to have announced their support of staying in the EU than those who wish to leave it. I didn’t want to comment on this without providing arguments for and against, so that you could read them both and be informed enough to make up your own minds – I’m not here to tell you how to think or vote. But perhaps tellingly, having spent about 20 minutes on google, I can’t find a single article or link that was written by or for scientists, with any support for a Brexit.
      Definitely I personally see more benefits of remaining a part of this larger, stronger pool of talent, facilities, and research funding than leaving. The CEO of Airbus, Tom Enders, was also one of the first big business leaders to publically announce that he would lobby for the UK to remain in the EU: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/06/15/brexit-a-bad-idea-well-lobby-to-prevent-it-airbus.html
      If you want a very detailed account of some of the reasons and arguments for staying, try here, it’s very thorough!: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexitvote/2015/12/05/debunking-the-myths-about-british-science-after-an-eu-exit/
      There’s also a lot of stuff here: http://scientistsforeu.uk/

      I’ll carry on looking for any links or articles that support an exit, but I can’t find any yet…

    • Photo: Melanie Zimmer

      Melanie Zimmer answered on 8 Mar 2016:

      It depends on the final outcome, but it will definitely have an impact if the UK would leave the EU (on the UK but also the EU). The UK might not be able to receive European funding anymore, a lot of researchers from other EU countries are working in the UK and a lot of international students are studying here. I personally think it is important to have the referendum as the members of the EU need to be happy to be part of it. Whatever the outcome is, we have to make the best out of it!

    • Photo: Paul Webb

      Paul Webb answered on 8 Mar 2016:

      Yes most likely many things would change, let’s hope a benifical deal can be struck that benifits the uk as so far we seemed to have lost control of the running of the country to eu

    • Photo: Stuart Inglis

      Stuart Inglis answered on 8 Mar 2016:

      I would imagine a lot of science project would lose out on a lot of European funding and support so science would definitely take a hit there. On the commercial front it would change the way we do business which could also stunt developments. But as always, we’ll find a way to keep working together and progressing! 🙂 It’s a good point you raise and definitely something which needs considered.

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