UK funding for Covid-19 work globally, France's push to link up EU vaccine work, and more
In focus: UK R&D funding goes global
Why the coronavirus pandemic has seen the government criticised at home, but lauded abroad.
UK
Vice-chancellors have promised to give students clarity over what to expect from their courses in the next academic year following a meeting with education secretary Gavin Williamson. Universities have been told to be clear with students about what they should expect from the next academic year, including changing course costs and how much will be delivered online as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The government’s approach to Covid-19 test and trace is “severely constrained” and achieving its goal will be “impossible”, according to a group of prominent scientists.
The UK’s planned Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre has signed its first industry partnership agreement.
Europe
Four “pioneering” countries—France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands—have already begun working together to ensure that Europe will have a sufficient supply of vaccines, the French government said. And France’s research minister and its secretary for investment have teamed up to launch a call for projects focused on the “hybridisation of training” in order to help universities adapt to a post-coronavirus world.
The European Commission says there is a “need for additional efforts, increased transparency and greater accountability” to fight coronavirus-related disinformation in Europe.
The Council of the EU has underscored the need for a digital transformation of the bloc to aid research and distance learning as the EU looks to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Australia
China’s government has defended its travel and study alerts for Australia, saying the warnings are based on “adequate facts” and evidence of increased racial abuse towards Asians as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.