Why are we not doing this? Never seen a more "no brainer" policy. Even people who are the most strongly opposed to immigration tend not to object to top scientists coming here.
Replies
Because our HE sector is on its knees?
apr 24, 2025, 11:25 am • 3 0 • view
Probably because we can't afford to pay them. A worrying indication that the Govt don't intend to sort out uni funding or increase research council spending?
apr 24, 2025, 11:30 am • 13 0 • view
Have you not seen The Ipcress File 😱 😂😂
apr 24, 2025, 11:22 am • 0 0 • view
Because UK unis can’t offer competitive pay, it’s as easy as that
apr 24, 2025, 12:09 pm • 0 0 • view
Staff get paid?
apr 24, 2025, 12:47 pm • 0 0 • view
Re your last comment: you'd be surprised, particularly if they're brown or Asian. And yes, the UK should be cleaning up on this but this govt seems weirdly stupid about it?
apr 24, 2025, 1:25 pm • 0 0 • view
If the management of the UK HE sector has any sense they'll be at least as focused on luring international students who were planning to go to the US before it turned out that expressing the wrong views could get you snatched off the street and disappeared.
apr 24, 2025, 3:43 pm • 17 2 • view
U.K. not attractive as a destination to study, it pains me to say. My younger family members want to study or do post-Grad in Europe or Canada. U.K. has lost ‘soft power’ in a global economy.
apr 25, 2025, 7:26 am • 2 0 • view
Runcorn by-election, mate.
apr 24, 2025, 11:30 am • 0 0 • view
We should be. But what do we really have to offer? Who in their right mind will come to a country that isolates itself (Brexit), is racist and less than welcoming to foreigners (Farage/Reform/Tories) and is desperate to rid itself of Human Rights (ECHR). Heck, even Reform MPs leave (Tice/Oakeshott).
apr 24, 2025, 2:59 pm • 2 0 • view
Well, it sure would feel like home…
apr 25, 2025, 7:29 am • 0 0 • view
We are doing the opposite. We want to keep foreign scientists away and encourage our native scientists to leave. Science is too "WOKE" for tiny MAGA brains to tolerate.
apr 24, 2025, 4:59 pm • 0 0 • view
Probably too focused on addressing our woeful productivity He says only half joking
apr 24, 2025, 11:52 am • 0 0 • view
We've decided that higher education isn't a national priority. There are a lot of decisions that would need to be reversed to be in a position to attract top scientists to the UK.
apr 24, 2025, 12:32 pm • 1 0 • view
not just Norway.. Australia, Canada, France (I think) -- but requires both funding and probably cutting our visa costs
apr 24, 2025, 11:30 am • 42 2 • view
Yep. France is keen to encourage international scientists to come to Europe / France.
apr 24, 2025, 3:39 pm • 6 0 • view
I contacted my mp @jowhitemp.bsky.social about this. She has responded on other bits but ignored this one.
apr 24, 2025, 1:12 pm • 1 0 • view
Because the flag shaggers will get frothy mouths!
apr 24, 2025, 11:32 am • 2 0 • view
Mainly because there are no HE levers left to pull I suppose - the UK govts have basically abandoned the sector to an unplanned quasi-market. Who would they even phone or pressure? Almost all unis would just say 'haha, no chance'.
apr 24, 2025, 12:34 pm • 44 5 • view
While that is true, the point about being in government is that you can always make specific beneficial things happen if you want to (even if you can’t fix everything)
apr 24, 2025, 2:38 pm • 6 0 • view
Because they are deep in a) 'we'll fight Reform by cutting immigration' b) We have to cut public services (except for war) - when they COULD set special quotas and offer funding sources
apr 25, 2025, 7:59 am • 0 0 • view
Such a shame considering common language. Wasted opportunity.
apr 24, 2025, 2:37 pm • 1 0 • view
Because Yvette Cooper and Reform
apr 24, 2025, 5:09 pm • 1 0 • view
Because until the OBR score it in the autumn, its upsides don’t actually exist - so it would be officially a cost with no benefit?
apr 24, 2025, 6:30 pm • 0 0 • view
Between 1901 and 2024, 35% of US academic Nobel Prize winners were immigrants. They were 19% of *all* academic Nobel Prize winners Obviously small numbers but a similar ratio will apply to a wider definition of 'top'
apr 24, 2025, 2:55 pm • 0 0 • view
For comparison: 12% of academic Nobels went to UK based scholars
apr 24, 2025, 2:58 pm • 0 0 • view
The truth is that the HE sector in the UK is currently losing tens of thousands of academics, many of them researchers. Whilst I think it would be great to take on US researchers, we need to sort out our HE sector first.
apr 24, 2025, 6:25 pm • 3 0 • view
Fiscal rules Sam, fiscal rules, and would need a superhuman effort at UKRI and universities, plus we wouldn’t want to upset Trump would we?
apr 24, 2025, 12:53 pm • 2 0 • view
We are not doing it because Starmer won’t upset Trump and it would also ‘impact on immigration numbers’ You are welcome
apr 24, 2025, 2:00 pm • 1 0 • view
People don’t realize how low pay is in UK academia. With current pay structures, it wouldn’t be possible to have a policy of recruiting from the US.
apr 24, 2025, 1:53 pm • 3 0 • view
Involves funding + foreigners + imagination + ambition + joined up thinking + actively doing something. All verboten under Labour.
apr 24, 2025, 12:19 pm • 0 0 • view
Because unattractive is as unattractive does. And before Trump took office it was Brexitland that was probably the least attractive English-language destination.
apr 25, 2025, 8:59 am • 0 0 • view
It won't take much, just promise not to arrest them plus some decent healthcare... Bingo!
apr 25, 2025, 8:37 am • 0 0 • view
My guess would be because UK HE is hemorrhaging staff through both voluntary and compulsory redundancies all over the shop. And rumours about institutions teetering on the brink of collapse are rife. We're about as attractive as Andrew Tate with a headcold.
apr 24, 2025, 1:25 pm • 10 0 • view
Pretty sure a headcold makes him more attractive, mostly because running away is far easier.
apr 24, 2025, 2:57 pm • 0 0 • view
Norway's got rather more surplus cash
apr 24, 2025, 12:05 pm • 0 0 • view
We’re Oslo on the uptake, Norway we shouldn’t, I can’t Bergen to imagine why not, etc
apr 24, 2025, 12:09 pm • 0 0 • view
There's simply no way this Labour government would ever propose a policy that remotely looks like we're taking any sort of advantage of what America are doing
apr 24, 2025, 11:30 am • 10 0 • view
UK needs a new watch. It keeps missing the bus.
apr 24, 2025, 11:42 am • 1 0 • view
The problem there is, in daily, non-work life, top scientists (& their families) don't wear badges with their job title. Since 2016, representatives of GB have been busy on the international stage telling the world that GB hates immigrants. So if you sound or look different, why risk GB?
apr 24, 2025, 3:36 pm • 1 0 • view
But your former boss was against experts...
apr 24, 2025, 11:48 am • 1 0 • view
They have a sovereign wealth fund from oil unlike the UK/Scotland sadly
apr 24, 2025, 11:40 am • 4 1 • view
Also, while UK professorial salaries might look good locally, they are not very competitive globally. Someone at a good US university could easily be earning twice what they'd get here.
apr 24, 2025, 12:45 pm • 7 0 • view
It was called ‘the brain drain’ for a reason..
apr 25, 2025, 8:41 am • 0 0 • view
The visa costs etc for international academics in UK plus housing costs are crazy relative to salaries, particularly for families. I've a colleague actively looking to return home - they are happy in the UK but the finances don't make much sense.
apr 24, 2025, 12:42 pm • 1 0 • view
The way things are going in the UK, coming here would be like staying in the US
apr 24, 2025, 11:46 am • 1 0 • view
It is clear that Starmer does not care about our universities. They are not part of his plans. He cares building constructing airports, theme parks and about Scunthorpe steelmakers.
apr 24, 2025, 11:36 am • 0 0 • view
I’m not sure that presenting a load of money for incoming American academics because they’ve decided to have another national flirtation with fascism would do much for workplace morale, given the stagnant nature of salaries here.
apr 24, 2025, 5:16 pm • 3 0 • view
It's the equivalent of leaving bundles of £50 notes lying in the street for someone else to pick up.
apr 24, 2025, 11:38 am • 11 0 • view
You can sum up the roadblock in two words. Yvette Cooper.
apr 24, 2025, 8:27 pm • 0 0 • view
Damn these countries who are not part of the EU because they wanted sovereignty, the ability to move quickly, to be light on their feet when opportunities arose Oh!
apr 24, 2025, 11:41 am • 7 0 • view
Labour scared of upsetting the Fash, who are never going to vote Labour in a million years.
apr 24, 2025, 12:36 pm • 1 0 • view
6 fingered slack jaw types?
apr 24, 2025, 12:43 pm • 1 0 • view
Don't forget France: www.dw.com/en/french-pr... And the Netherlands: nltimes.nl/2025/03/20/n... And Australia: www.theguardian.com/education/20...
apr 24, 2025, 11:30 am • 17 2 • view
Canada is a lot closer and we're on the case.
apr 24, 2025, 11:58 am • 7 0 • view
www.torontotoday.ca/local/educat...
apr 24, 2025, 12:00 pm • 5 2 • view
3 profs going to one university is in no way a sector-wide investment. Canada's not doing anything.
apr 24, 2025, 12:15 pm • 1 0 • view
I doubt you're correct but time will tell. In any event, these were pretty good catches.
apr 24, 2025, 12:26 pm • 2 0 • view
Yes- why are we not doing this @darrenpjones.bsky.social @lizzicollinge.bsky.social
apr 24, 2025, 12:17 pm • 0 0 • view
I thought Yvette Cooper was smart but instead she's obsessing about net immigration numbers. When is the Labour front bench going to understand that they will never appeal to Reform voters, no matter how many idiotic policies they implement?
apr 24, 2025, 12:42 pm • 0 0 • view
Given the choices - would you actually come to Brexit island ?
apr 24, 2025, 12:42 pm • 0 0 • view
It costs money. We didn't set up a sovereign wealth fund when we had oil revenues. Norway did.
apr 24, 2025, 2:29 pm • 0 0 • view
If you've been to Norway, it kinda explains it. When I went, I found it felt like a weird pre-Brecit idyllic where everything actually works.
apr 24, 2025, 11:26 am • 6 0 • view
Same reason why we're not cutting visa fees, helping save universities and more. They say one thing do the opposite due a fear. Unwilling to make a positive case.
apr 24, 2025, 1:25 pm • 1 0 • view
Because Yvette Cooper
apr 24, 2025, 8:59 pm • 2 0 • view
It reflects a lack imagination on the part of DSIT (perhaps AI can help !) There many approaches that it could chose to adopt to attract and retain world class people in our Universities or for that matter Public Sector Research Institutes. It requires leadership and cross funder collaboration.
apr 25, 2025, 11:21 am • 3 0 • view
Could it be that the UK is one of the most expensive places to arrange a visa, our Unis are bankrupt and they can’t afford to pay ££££s for extra visas when they cannot keep the lecturers/researchers they already have. We have also lost numerous EU research grants. Thank You BREXIT!
apr 24, 2025, 3:09 pm • 2 0 • view
Every scientist I've spoken to recognises the opportunity here and would love to do this. However, even if the visas were there, for all but a very small handful of institutions it's a non-starter without significant government investment given the current financial crisis in HE.
apr 24, 2025, 11:48 am • 10 0 • view
They should withhold the visa costs...
apr 24, 2025, 12:32 pm • 0 0 • view
Because we include foreign students & researchers in the immigration figures (we shouldn't) and because we are apparently trying to keep immigration figures down.
apr 24, 2025, 11:59 am • 3 0 • view
Foriners innit!!
apr 24, 2025, 12:48 pm • 1 0 • view
Because it would require an explicit acknowledgement of what is going on in the States.
apr 24, 2025, 11:31 am • 3 0 • view
Exactly this
apr 24, 2025, 1:36 pm • 1 0 • view
Example: The 1000 scheme. 200 K salary by the government for la crème du la crème science, technology and humanities thinkers and researchers. (Half of that salary will be taxed). Let any other expenses such as grants, offices, labs etc be sorted by unis. That will be 200 million pounds per year!
apr 24, 2025, 1:18 pm • 0 0 • view
Starmer is never a confrontational with US.
apr 24, 2025, 1:11 pm • 1 0 • view
we did this after ww2 and during the cold war before fox news & P2025 aholes
apr 24, 2025, 12:30 pm • 0 0 • view
I think UK elite scientists wouldn't necessarily like that.
apr 24, 2025, 5:25 pm • 0 0 • view
The lamentable truth is we cannot afford the researchers we already have because most UK universities are in a financial crisis. That crisis is due to immigration policies that reduced the UK's appeal to international students, who were contributing billions to the economy in fees, rent, food etc
apr 24, 2025, 11:40 am • 16 3 • view
The problem? We have a Reform government maskerading as a Labour one!
apr 24, 2025, 12:30 pm • 0 0 • view
We are actively preventing the best and brightest due to the draconian Brexit visa rules.
apr 24, 2025, 11:38 am • 1 0 • view
Starmer is scared of Trump thats why
apr 24, 2025, 1:34 pm • 4 0 • view
I fear the government’s unwillingness to change its public narrative on the US to recognise its hostility will cost us dear. They could be hammering Reform in this way too, but so far they won’t.
apr 24, 2025, 11:34 am • 2 0 • view
We appear to have no long-term strategy for anything at all. Energy, transport, defence, industry, health, research, nah. All sacrificed for right-wing soundbites.
apr 24, 2025, 1:23 pm • 3 0 • view
Too much of a long term play for politics in the contemporary world?
apr 24, 2025, 11:23 am • 4 0 • view
Short sightedness? But there again, is the UK an attractive destination without EU membership and funding?
apr 24, 2025, 1:02 pm • 3 0 • view
Why would top scientists move to a country that wrecked its own economy in order to keep foreigners out? Hardly a fuzzy welcoming feeling.
apr 24, 2025, 2:37 pm • 1 0 • view
Because HE is already bursting at the seams. Simply, there aren’t enough jobs to go around. So adding US-based researchers to the mix will just oversaturate an already incredibly competitive marketplace. Also worth noting that there’s slightly less competition and more funding in Norwegian academia.
apr 24, 2025, 12:42 pm • 4 0 • view
The Labour untermensch have been identified. The Disabled, Poor, Trans and Immigrants. Nothing shall deflect labour from this fight.
apr 24, 2025, 11:40 am • 0 0 • view
Assuming that’s a rhetorical question as it’s surely down to our cowering, corporatist, captured, pitiful government.
apr 24, 2025, 11:43 am • 1 0 • view
Why: Because research funding is already being cut, many UK universities are already making redundancies because of a current funding shortfall / anticipated future cuts. So there is no way to pay for it. Should we: absolutely. But stopping cuts to UK research funding must happen first.
apr 25, 2025, 10:04 am • 0 0 • view
Politicians seem froken in fear of this. See Cooper's reaction to extending Student Visas?
apr 24, 2025, 11:31 am • 2 0 • view
There are several initiatives already, like UKRI and Fullbright. And there are long-established partnerships between the UK and the US where universities collaborate on both education and research. A common language helps too!
apr 24, 2025, 5:27 pm • 1 0 • view
This is where I'm not sure people understand the "Special Relationship" is. It is not really about the politicians. It began with intelligence sharing (and that is still true). But it involves all kinds of co-operation in and out of government, and it will quietly continue despite Trump
apr 24, 2025, 5:32 pm • 1 0 • view
UK higher education is a mess, Labour are terrified of doing anything to upset Trump/the USA, Labour are terrified of (imagined) Reform voters
apr 24, 2025, 11:39 am • 2 0 • view
You would think so. Isn't the UK likely to be the destination of choice for US academics who don't fancy Canada?
apr 24, 2025, 2:50 pm • 4 0 • view
Visa fees are a huge disincentive. The uk in this, as in all sorts of policies, is very shortsighted.
apr 24, 2025, 12:33 pm • 1 0 • view
If you think something is a no-brainer, it may be that you failed to engage your own.
apr 24, 2025, 12:31 pm • 0 0 • view
Politically and financially difficult when universities are sacking tens of thousands of people.
apr 24, 2025, 11:23 am • 47 3 • view
Which is itself due to their choice to count students as part of general immigration and sharply reduce the numbers coming (also impacted by Brexit ofc)
apr 24, 2025, 11:43 am • 32 0 • view
Not labours choice. Unfortunately the rhetoric put out by Tories/Reform that students could bring all family members with them if they want means reversal of the policy will not be popular with the public. I regularly have conversations with usually “sensible” people who believe this rubbish.
apr 24, 2025, 12:47 pm • 0 0 • view
The long tail of Brexit strikes again
apr 24, 2025, 11:52 am • 11 0 • view
I have always regarded students as er, students. Students know they are here short term. Tories and Labour just sucking up to the idiots. Many urban ateas will suffer economically losing the 'student economy'.
apr 24, 2025, 12:41 pm • 1 0 • view
Yep. Management of these establishments seem to be completely off their heads.
apr 24, 2025, 12:38 pm • 0 0 • view
The UK has also proven itself capable of random acts of self-harm. So I doubt it looks an appealing alternative anyway!
apr 24, 2025, 2:02 pm • 0 0 • view
I think it's just a case of other European countries needing to sing it from a higher rooftop that the UK, which is actually what the top scientist in the US would default to as an escape route.
apr 24, 2025, 11:23 am • 4 0 • view
No expert here, but from the news it seems we can barely pay for the academics we’ve got.
apr 24, 2025, 11:23 am • 5 0 • view
Starmer’s a coward
apr 24, 2025, 12:17 pm • 3 0 • view
I mean, step #1 is "keep funding actual scientific research", which seems is not an austerity-compatible path...
apr 24, 2025, 6:19 pm • 1 0 • view
Is it a "no brainer"? UK HE is in financial crisis, shedding staff & closing departments. Notable US defections to Toronto are social scientists (not much of interest to UK backers of "science", sadly). Moving them is much easier than a team. (Keeping them is another thing). It's complicated.
apr 24, 2025, 12:35 pm • 19 0 • view
The UK government would have to show it can invests in and value higher education for this to work. Given the trouble HE finds itself in right now, I can't see the UK being that appealing to US academics.
apr 24, 2025, 12:42 pm • 12 3 • view
The downward spiral of Britain. Third World and not even a turnip available due to climate change (flooding).
apr 24, 2025, 12:45 pm • 1 0 • view
Universities are firing the staff they have, because the funding model is broken. Whole sector needs proper funding, but gods forbid we raise taxes to make the country work. (Sorry, v. pissed off with Labour govt).
apr 24, 2025, 12:43 pm • 2 0 • view
Because Labour continue to kill the university sector to pursue their petty xenophobia, just like the Tories before them.
apr 24, 2025, 11:48 am • 0 0 • view
In theory, but: www.timeshighereducation.com/news/uk-univ...
apr 24, 2025, 11:28 am • 1 0 • view
One answer is that it would inevitably take money away from the top scientists who are already here who are already dealing with catastrophic cuts to the research budget.
apr 24, 2025, 11:22 am • 22 1 • view
There’s a strong case for making us an alternative for younger US researchers but that means improving the research environment in general. Else they will go elsewhere.
apr 24, 2025, 11:24 am • 17 0 • view
But there must be tens (hundreds?) of thousands of US researchers and other knowledge workers out of work, all of a sudden. Presumably you wouldn’t even need to offer the previous market salary…
apr 24, 2025, 11:34 am • 2 0 • view
Who will fund their labs? Their access to postdocs and students?
apr 24, 2025, 12:06 pm • 5 0 • view
Yes, I get this. I’m just imagining that if I was a newly unemployed researcher in the US right now, I’d be considering a job as a lab tech, if it meant I could get out of there. It’s a horrendous situation, and it’s only going to get worse.
apr 24, 2025, 3:32 pm • 0 0 • view
I work (for the moment) at a university which is currently making substantial job cuts. It's a well established Russell group institution too. It's painful enough to give existing researchers their marching orders. It's insulting to then welcome émigrés with open arms.
apr 24, 2025, 6:28 pm • 2 0 • view
This is also a valid point. I suppose we all are playing fantasy football (fantasy academia?) where the UK HE sector isn’t a binfire and everything is as we’d wish.
apr 24, 2025, 7:45 pm • 2 0 • view
You'll have to increase the UK science budget 10 fold to compete. Everybody who says oh just recruit Americans doesn't realise it's not about the brains, it's about funding for infrastructure, for labs, for reagents, not brains. We have plenty of them already. What we don't have is the money.
apr 24, 2025, 8:03 pm • 4 0 • view
And half of that 10 fold increase would have to go on salaries to stop losing people to the private sector and abroad. Academic research has seen over a decade of real term pay cuts, and often in places where the cost of living has been rising faster than inflation.
apr 24, 2025, 8:05 pm • 4 0 • view
You cannot buy a house in Cambridge on an academic salary these days.
apr 24, 2025, 8:06 pm • 6 0 • view
There are research institutes in Cambridge, world class, that froze pay for all staff this year. Not a below inflation pay rise, no pay rise. While cutting subsidies to staff restaurants so lunch now costs close to £10. And people think you can attract foreign researchers by fiddling with visa fees?
apr 24, 2025, 8:09 pm • 8 0 • view
Norway is the last country in Europe with any money...
apr 24, 2025, 1:20 pm • 0 0 • view
Considering the costs, I don't think a smaller salary would be a good idea!
apr 24, 2025, 12:38 pm • 1 0 • view
This is completely true. Also the visa difficulties of bringing a spouse with you.
apr 24, 2025, 3:34 pm • 1 0 • view
What about the younger researchers here? Where do they go? Given the state of academia in this country, with so many on precarious contracts and so few substantive posts, flooding the market with US researchers (usually paid so much more) makes little sense.
apr 24, 2025, 12:15 pm • 4 0 • view
My guess - Someone somewhere in Labour HQ has clocked that immigration is likely to fall on their watch, so they have a plan to weaponise this in future elections, and they’re going to make damn sure that nothing messes up the figures [such as attracting some of the worlds top scientists].
apr 24, 2025, 12:37 pm • 0 0 • view
We're not doing it because even the appearance of encouraging any sort of immigration is verboten in the McSweeney strategy.
apr 24, 2025, 11:53 am • 1 0 • view
All sensible countries are....
apr 24, 2025, 11:46 am • 0 0 • view
Indeed. But when the government seems to be trying to rule temporary students into the migration stats rather than quite sensibly counting that separately, we probably can't hope for anything here. A No Brain Policy, for sure.
apr 24, 2025, 11:38 am • 2 0 • view
apr 24, 2025, 12:36 pm • 1 0 • view
This government specialise in shooting themselves in both feet every morning.
apr 24, 2025, 11:36 am • 1 0 • view
You're not the only person thinking this - chairs of both Commons and Lords science committees told us the same Potential US trade deal staying govt's hand? www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
apr 24, 2025, 11:45 am • 6 0 • view
John Bell also said the same earlier this week www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
apr 24, 2025, 11:46 am • 1 0 • view
The Earthworms hold all the cards.
apr 24, 2025, 12:37 pm • 1 0 • view
Because our HE sector (outside Oxbridge and one or 2 in London) are in horrendous financial situations, and high profile US academics get much higher pay than those here. If we had a sensibly funded HE sector, we could snap them up. But we don't.
apr 24, 2025, 2:09 pm • 1 0 • view
Also the UK is one of the most expensive places to get a Visa, the most expensive in Europe actually, and those UNIs which are already nearly bankrupt can’t afford to keep the lecturers/researchers they already have.
apr 24, 2025, 3:11 pm • 0 0 • view
Why do successive UK governments pursue stupid, self-defeating policies? In episode 97 of our long-running series, we'll explore...
apr 24, 2025, 12:11 pm • 2 0 • view
The government should just take out full page ads in the mail. THESE ARE RICH WHITE PEOPLE. REALLY RICH. REALLY WHITE Hey presto, immigration fears gone🪄
apr 24, 2025, 1:43 pm • 0 0 • view