Connects-UK is a partnership between EU diaspora research communities in the UK, with the aim of fostering EU-UK research collaboration and science diplomacy in a post-Brexit ​​​​environment

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The United Kingdom (UK) has a long tradition of scientific excellence and innovation, attracting many talented researchers from across Europe and beyond. Furthermore, the UK has traditionally been the top research collaborator for several European countries, such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. However, the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU) has created new challenges for European researchers and international scientific research collaborations, including uncertainties around funding, mobility, and joint projects.  

Despite the welcome news that the UK and EU have officially signed off on UK association to Horizon Europe, Brexit has had an adverse impact on international collaborations and mobility. There was a gradual 40% drop in UK applications to Horizon 2020, the EU’s research and innovation funding programme from 2014-2020, and there has been a 35% decrease in the number of scientists coming to the UK through key schemes. This threatens to erode long-lasting scientific relationships.  

To maintain EU-UK scientific collaboration, the scientific diasporas of Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Netherlands, and Spain in the UK, together with Native Scientists, have launched a pan-European platform, CONNECTS-UK, which stands for CONNecting European Communities Through Science in the UK. As a multilateral group founded upon the strong scientific backbone of its founding members, we maintain that international research establishes and improves diplomatic relationships and cultural ties between European countries.  

CONNECTS-UK aims to strengthen research and connection between the EU and the UK scientific communities by focusing on four major areas. These four primary goals are: establishing a professional network of EU researchers in the UK; furthering research on EU-UK scientific collaboration and mobility; providing policy advice and advocacy to European and British stakeholders, and; developing science outreach programmes. In doing so, CONNECTS-UK aims to establish itself as a staple in modern scientific diplomacy following in the strong tradition of our member associations, who have been supporting EU-UK scientific relations for over 15 years and have forged connections with major organisations, such as the Embassies of EU Member States in the UK, and EU research institutions. 

CONNECTS-UK activities include meetings aiming to occur on an annual basis of the EU scientific diaspora in the UK and liaison with key stakeholders such as the Delegation of the European Union in the UK, the British Council, and academic and funding institutions such as the Wellcome Trust and the Marie Curie Alumni Association.​​ Alongside this, CONNECTS-UK confirmed on the 11th of December the receipt of funding via an EU grant: Building a new relationship with the United Kingdom, providing a new impetus to to promote EU-UK common values and achievements through collective action. 

Thus far, CONNECTS-UK has been and will continue to carefully monitor UK and EU scientific and policy events, to produce policy reports, to play an advisory role to governments, and to participate in advocacy campaigns. An upcoming article based on survey responses of CONNECTS-UK organisational members captures members’ views on issues including the UK’s attractiveness as a destination for talent, funding, joint projects and visas, as well as priorities for the future UK-EU relationship.   

We will also continue to hold a variety of events in collaboration with UK academic institutions to highlight the contribution of the EU research diaspora in the UK, such as those already organised in Newcastle University and Cardiff University. In addition, CONNECTS-UK hopes to be a platform for researchers in general, as well as for young people in the EU interested in research and innovation. We run science outreach events where sessions about scientific and academic research and discovery are tailored to children’s particular spoken languages. These events showcase CONNECTS-UK as a proactive network for all, reducing inequalities in the scientific field and fostering EU values and language. 

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Guilherme Oliveira is the Coordinator of External Affairs at the Portuguese Association of Researchers and Students in the UK (PARSUK). This text was developed in collaboration with members of all the EU associations that compose CONNECTS-UK

If this platform is of ​​​​interest, please contact eu.policy@sruk.org.uk and follow their Twitter for upcoming news and events. 

Note: The views expressed in this post are those of the author, and not of the UCL European Institute, nor of UCL.

Featured image credit: Garry Knight via Public Domain Dedication