Diogo Martins, president of the PARSUK Association, believes that ‘Brexit’ has made the UK less attractive to scientists and researchers, although it continues to provide “extraordinary” conditions.
“If I were a Portuguese researcher or researcher from outside the UK, if I knew from the news what was going on not only in the field of research, but also about the rights of European citizens, I would not put it. The UK first,” he admitted. Director of the Portuguese Researchers and Students Association in the United Kingdom told Lusa.
The trainee doctor responded to the news that after leaving the European Union (EU), the UK had difficulty in attracting top researchers and freedom of movement.
In November, New Scientist magazine revealed that the special visa program for Nobel laureates and other science, engineering, humanities and medicine winners had failed to attract applicants.
Unlike the normal immigration system for scientists, the Global Talent Visa already has no requirements such as a UK grant or a job offer from a UK company.
PARSUK is currently studying the benefits of moving European scientists to the UK, the results of which are not yet complete.
However, Diego Martின்nez co-authored with an association of other scientists in April in an article in the journal Nature in which he expressed concern about the impact of ‘Brexit’ on research.
Horizon Europe’s stalemate in negotiations for UK access to EU research funding program delays plans and leads scientists to consider transferring the UK to another European country.
“I am not surprised that the British government, which wants to attract a highly qualified diaspora, took this approach. I am not surprised by the result,” said the Portuguese, who works for the Welcome Trust Foundation while doing his PhD at the London School of Hygiene and Medicine.
According to Martins, “the education community is a mobile, intelligent community” which would have realized that the cost-benefit ratio of going to the UK was “not so clear”.
“To prove that a person is a great researcher, he has to prove it very thoroughly. I think this is a difficult thing to do. Here they pay well, but this is not comparable to places like Switzerland, USA or Australia.
Nevertheless, he stressed that the United Kingdom, where he emigrated six years ago, “continues to be a great place and a place of choice for work,” where scientific institutions have sought to adapt to the new political environment.
“There is an extraordinary work culture, an extraordinary diversity in accepting international cultures and extraordinary career opportunities. This is a reference site, I will not stop recommending people to come. But it is harder than it was six years ago.
PARSUK will hold its 15th Annual Meeting in London on June 4, this time dedicated to the social value of science, attended by Elvira Fortunado, Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education.
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