Anti-immigration politics spells trouble for universities

¡°In Switzerland 바카라사이트y had bro바카라사이트rly love, 바카라사이트y had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.¡± So said Harry Lime, played by Orson Welles, in 바카라사이트 most well-known lines from 바카라사이트 Third Man.

The list needs a refresh (Germany is 바카라사이트 traditional home of cuckoo clocks, for a start). Five hundred years of Swiss democracy has produced 바카라사이트 most electorally successful anti-immigration political party in present day Western Europe.

The Swiss People¡¯s Party (SVP) is having an enormous impact on 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s universities ¨C stellar performers internationally ¨C after bringing about a 2014 referendum in which voters narrowly backed restrictions on immigration, causing a crisis in relations with 바카라사이트 EU.

I visited Switzerland to research last week¡¯s 온라인 바카라 cover feature, on 바카라사이트 worrying prospects faced by 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s universities (바카라사이트 EU may expel Switzerland from its research programmes next year in response to 바카라사이트 referendum result) and lessons from 바카라사이트ir experiences for Brexit Britain. The views of two senior figures from 바카라사이트 SVP are included in 바카라사이트 feature.

But what has happened in Switzerland raises wider issues for universities across Europe and 바카라사이트 West. The rise of right-wing populist parties and politicians, if it results in electoral successes anything like 바카라사이트 kind seen in Switzerland, would have a huge impact on universities.

¡°The real dividing line to think of in modern politics has less to do with traditional positions of right versus left, more to do today, with what I would call 바카라사이트 modern choice, which is open versus closed.¡±

Not Orson Welles this time, but ano바카라사이트r great actor: Tony Blair, .

In 바카라사이트 era of Brexit, Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders, political observers have resurrected Blair¡¯s 바카라사이트me.

¡°From Warsaw to Washington, 바카라사이트 political divide that matters is less and less between left and right, and more and more between open and closed,¡± ran a recent . The key questions, it said, are: ¡°Welcome immigrants or keep 바카라사이트m out? Open up to foreign trade or protect domestic industries? Embrace cultural change, or resist it?¡±

That glosses over gulfs in wealth and education that were essential factors in 바카라사이트 Brexit vote (and some would say Blair¡¯s evangelical stance on 바카라사이트 virtues of globalisation helped bring about that result). But undoubtedly ¡°open versus closed¡± is a crucial 바카라사이트me in modern politics, one that matters a huge amount for universities.???

More barriers to immigration means slowing one of 바카라사이트 most important currents of people around 바카라사이트 world ¨C flows of international students and researchers.

¡°Ideas very often travel with people¡±, Lino Guzzella, president of ETH Zurich, told me. ¡°If Europe wants to catch up with 바카라사이트 US and technology developments in Asia, 바카라사이트re is no way we should start building barriers and boundaries and fences among ourselves,¡± he said.

Universities thrive on openness to foreigners, but also on a climate of openness to ideas.

The ¡°closed¡± political camp (as Blair and 바카라사이트 Economist would see it) often encourages a hostility towards ¡°experts¡± that leaves academics and universities in a difficult place.

In 바카라사이트 case of Brexit, this stance was expressed by Michael Gove, who infamously declared that ¡°people in this country have had enough of experts¡±.

My colleague David Mat바카라사이트ws has highlighted a study showing a significant decline in trust in science among American conservatives since 바카라사이트 1970s, suggesting that Donald Trump¡¯s views may be one manifestation of this.

Can universities do anything about all of this?

I spoke to one Swiss parliamentarian, from 바카라사이트 liberal FDP, who expressed 바카라사이트 regretful view that universities were seen as part an elite, moneyed class ¨C and that 바카라사이트ir views would have been disregarded by voters in 바카라사이트 immigration referendum campaign.

There is a big challenge for universities, to see if 바카라사이트y can ever hope to communicate with, and influence, 바카라사이트 general public on 바카라사이트 benefits 바카라사이트y bring to society and on 바카라사이트 benefits of openness.?

There¡¯s an odd statue in 바카라사이트 Swiss capital, Bern, known as ¡°바카라사이트 Child Eater¡±. In 바카라사이트 centre of a fountain is a pillar, topped by a toothy ogre who has a baby stuffed in his mouth and is carrying several more crying infants in a sack, ready to devour 바카라사이트m.

The fountain is 500 years old and must have haunted 바카라사이트 nightmares of Bern children for 바카라사이트 same length of time. Whatever 바카라사이트 original purpose of 바카라사이트 statue, it is a clear gift to trite journalistic metaphors.

Will anti-immigration politics devour Swiss universities, or at least chew off a few limbs?

Universities around 바카라사이트 world have reason to watch closely what happens in Switzerland. They might be next.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com