Members of the House of Lords highlighted the "total uncertainty" ahead for the Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 programs, while colleagues warned of the implications of a no-deal Brexit, in a debate in the chamber on Monday.
Full association to the next EU framework program should be "plan A" and preventing barriers to mobility for staff and students a priority, the EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee of the House of Lords has heard in an evidence session.
The European Commission has proposed spending €100 billion on research, leading to British organisations outwardly hoping partnerships can survive Brexit.
Switzerland has been allowed back into the EU's Horizon 2020 research programme, opening up negotiations for the country's direct participation in Erasmus+. However, negotiations may be delayed for a year or more.
British businesses and universities have been encouraged to continue to bid for EU funding despite the planned departure of the UK from the EU.
The Erasmus+ programme, which consolidates the EU's existing mobility programmes, has been allocated €14.7 billion to support 2 million higher education and 650,000 vocational training students while €70.2 billion has been set aside for innovation and research under the new Horizon 2020 programme. A pilot loan scheme for Masters students is also planned.
Leaders from the European Union agreed upon a common financial framework that includes funding for a new "Erasmus for all" mega-exchange programme, which combines previous exchange programmes into one new scheme. It also includes a loan guarantee scheme for Master's students.