At the University of Copenhagen we are going to have SUCH a Brexit dividend when we appropriate your EU-research funding and take away your researchers.
But still, most of us would still rather have you stay.
But still, most of us would still rather have you stay.
I've said it before, but I'll repeat it, as it actually makes me slightly agitated: The British public seems to have little-to-no idea about serendipity involved in the prominence of British universities.
Because English has become the international Lingua Franca of research, British researchers and research institutions have an priori advantage over the rest of us that could not be bought for money: They are "International" to start with.
I have to go through all the motions of learning to write research in a second language to even enter the debate. And my name rings wrong all the time.
If I'm told that a research paper "needs international orientation" it means that too few of the authors in my bibliography have English sounding names.
Nobody says "Too few people with names like "Auken" or "Sønderberg" on that bibliography. Like in nobody ever!
And so when we look to internationalize we look to you first. And all you have to do is sit there and be first-language speakers. We'll come running.
But Brexit cuts you off. It cuts you off from EU-funding, it cuts you off from EU collaborations. And for once this willbe structural. Now EU research institutions will ask not for "first language"-speakers. Barring the Irish of course, they should really make something of this!!
They will ask for research institutions that are very good at working in their second language English.
And so, for once, we win, you lose.
Not because we've done anything at all, but because you have messed up royally.
And so, for once, we win, you lose.
Not because we've done anything at all, but because you have messed up royally.
And, of course, apologies for generalizations and strong language. Apologies to the 48% and counting, and my deepest sympathies to all #FBPE'ers that share my frustration.
RANT ENDS
RANT ENDS
BTW: "Sønderberg" is my very good almost-colleague and namesake "Sune Sønderberg Mortensen, a grammarian and a forensic linguist. he should be on more biliographies. You can find him here: forskning.ruc.dk/en/persons/sun…
