Peers have urged the UK government to seek full association to the European Union¡¯s next research funding programme and Erasmus+ mobility scheme, and have said that they are ¡°extremely concerned¡±?by the failure to prepare no deal Brexit contingency plans for both.

The House of Lords EU ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Affairs Sub-Committee makes the recommendations in a report published on 12 February, following an inquiry into the implications of Brexit for the UK¡¯s involvement in the EU programmes that was held late last year.

Chris Skidmore, the new universities and science minister, has said that the UK¡¯s ¡°ambition is to associate¡± to the Horizon Europe research programme, which begins in 2021, but that talks cannot begin until the EU has finalised its regulations ¨C with European elections potentially further holding up negotiations until next year.

There is a similar lack of clarity over the UK¡¯s involvement in Erasmus+ after Brexit.

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The committee says on Erasmus that it ¡°has played a significant role in facilitating the international mobility of people studying and working in the fields of education, training, youth, and sport in the UK¡­The government should seek to ensure the UK remains part of this important initiative by seeking full association to the 2021¨C2027 Erasmus programme.¡±

But if association ¡°cannot be negotiated, it will be essential to establish an alternative UK mobility scheme¡±, the peers add.

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The committee also notes the government¡¯s commitment to increase research spending and affirmation that research is central to ¡°the future economic prosperity of the UK¡±.

¡°A key part of this strategy should be to prioritise continued access to EU research framework programmes by securing association to Horizon Europe,¡± the committee adds. ¡°The government should ensure UK universities retain full access to EU funding opportunities and can participate in, and lead, collaborative research projects.¡±

Although the government has committed to underwrite funding for successful bids to EU programmes until the end of 2020 if the UK leaves without a deal, the government ¡°still needs to agree terms with the EU for UK organisations to continue to participate in Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 projects as third-country entities¡±, the peers say.

¡°We note the European Commission¡¯s current unwillingness to engage in discussions on possible actions to protect people on Erasmus+ exchanges and Horizon 2020 projects in the event of a ¡®no-deal¡¯ Brexit, but urge the government to continue its efforts to reach a resolution with the Commission to avoid disruption¡±, they add. ¡°We remain extremely concerned about the lack of time available to negotiate and confirm these ¡®no deal¡¯ contingency plans.¡±

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If this cannot be resolved, the UK government should ¡°use funds set aside for the underwrite guarantee to establish replacement UK mobility and research funding schemes as quickly as possible¡±, the peers say.

Universities UK?has warned that?recent official guidance shows ¡°that the UK government does not intend to provide a national replacement for the Erasmus scheme for 2019 and 2020¡± in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

john.morgan@timeshighereducation.com