British Academy responds to the outcome of the EU Referendum

In response to the UK’s vote to leave the European Union, British Academy President Nicholas Stern said:

“In the light of the UK’s vote to leave the European Union, UK research will need to adapt to a new uncertain world. The UK has performed well in current and past EU research programmes and we have helped shape bodies such as the European Research Council, which are particularly important to researchers in the humanities and social sciences in the UK. This will now need to change, however, I urge politicians in the UK to recognise the value of and provide sustained support to UK-based research and researchers as we enter this new future.

“UK researchers gain greatly from international mobility and interactions with their contemporaries from other countries. We must find new and productive ways to engage with our European colleagues and it is vital that UK researchers maintain access to the EU, its networks and funding streams.

“The British Academy looks forward to working with colleagues, partners and policymakers to advise on our next steps forward, and naturally the disciplines covered by the humanities and social sciences will be essential in analysing and understanding the situation we now face.”

Prior to the referendum the British Academy provided evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee Science and Technology inquiry on the relationship between EU membership and the effectiveness of science, research and innovation in the UK, which you can see here: http://www.britac.ac.uk/news/british-academys-evidence-used-lords-science-and-technology-select-committee-report

The British Academy with the Royal Irish Academy also held two roundtables in London and Belfast held two roundtables on the implications of the referendum for UK-Ireland relations and for higher education and research in Northern Ireland. Notes of both roundtables can be found here: http://www.britac.ac.uk/news/british-academy-and-royal-irish-academy-host-roundtables-implications-eu-referendum

The Academy has undertaken some continuing work on human rights and Europe, particularly focused on the European Convention on Human Rights, which is separate from the EU. An Academy report from 2012 can be found here and further work will be published soon: http://www.britac.ac.uk/publications/human-rights-and-uk-constitution

You can also listen to a podcast about this between Professor David Feldman QC (hon.) FBA and Professor Colm O’Cinneide: https://soundcloud.com/britishacademy/uk-and-european-convention-on-human-rights

The Academy has an ongoing project on ‘Governing England’, part of which is an event on Monday 4 July from 6-7.30pm on ‘England and the English After The Referendum’.  All are welcome and you can register here: www.britishacademy.ac.uk/referendum

The Academy is also beginning a project on the narratives of Europe working with our partners in Europe and we look forward to announcing more on this in due course.