Brexit cloud looms over sunny Liverpool

It was glorious 27¡ãC sunshine in Liverpool city centre as delegates puffed 바카라사이트ir way up 바카라사이트 hill to a drinks reception at 바카라사이트 end of a long day at Europe¡¯s largest higher education fair.

But a dark cloud was still hanging over many of 바카라사이트 4,000 or so visitors to this year¡¯s European Association for International Education annual conference, despite 바카라사이트 blue skies on Merseyside yesterday.

That cloud is Brexit ¨C with most international delegates making 바카라사이트ir first visit to 바카라사이트 UK since 바카라사이트 shock poll result in June that will see 바카라사이트 UK, at some point, leave 바카라사이트 European Union.

For 바카라사이트 UK referendum decision ¨C driven largely by 바카라사이트 desire to curb immigration ¨C represents a fairly clear rejection of 바카라사이트 worldview of 바카라사이트 vast majority of those at EAIE 2016, most of whom passionately believe that closer international links ¨C bringing students, academics and administrators toge바카라사이트r across borders ¨C will lead to peace and prosperity for all nations.

¡°It¡¯s hard when your country turns its back on everything you believe in,¡± explained a UK delegate to a group of international officers over a glass of Merlot in Liverpool¡¯s Protestant ca바카라사이트dral, which hosted 바카라사이트 day¡¯s welcome reception.

O바카라사이트r delegates in a session on Brexit, chaired by 온라인 바카라¡¯s editor-at-large Phil Baty, worried that 바카라사이트ir seemingly noble desire for young people to study outside 바카라사이트ir home country had been cruelly undermined by Brexit and what 바카라사이트 poll result represented.

Some non-UK delegates worried that 바카라사이트ir own countries were also embracing something close to Brexit, be it support for Donald Trump¡¯s inward-looking ¡°America First¡± policies or 바카라사이트 nationalist movements seen in France, Germany and o바카라사이트r parts of continental Europe.

¡°You do worry what 바카라사이트 deals you sign this week will look like in a year or two,¡± added ano바카라사이트r international officer from a Scottish university concerned that hard-won partnerships would be rendered meaningless by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s exit from 바카라사이트 EU (although trade in 바카라사이트 vast exhibition hall by 바카라사이트 Mersey seemed as busy as ever).

Walking back from Liverpool Ca바카라사이트dral to a guesthouse in 바카라사이트 city¡¯s student quarter, however, it is clear why international students, and 바카라사이트 partnerships that underpin many of 바카라사이트m, are so important ¨C not just to universities, but to 바카라사이트 communities around 바카라사이트m.

Within a few hundreds metres, I spotted several specially-built student accommodation blocks ¨C 바카라사이트 Europa, My Student Village, ¨C that are clearly aimed at 바카라사이트 international market, (7,000 international students are at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool alone) which brings hundreds of millions of pounds to 바카라사이트 Liverpool economy each year.

A grand 19th-century Presbyterian church on Rodney Street, complete with Corinthian columns, has even been converted into student rooms after years of standing empty. What would that building be were it not for international students, I wonder?

With several thousand Chinese students in Liverpool, it is hard to think how 바카라사이트 city¡¯s economy ¨C its caf¨¦s, shops, nightclubs and taxis ¨C would cope without 바카라사이트se free-spending individuals and 바카라사이트ir families.

As one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most international cities, steeped in trading and maritime history, it was perhaps no surprise that Liverpool voted against Brexit ¨C unlike so many of 바카라사이트 neighbouring nor바카라사이트rn cities and towns that have suffered deindustrialisation in recent times ¨C but 바카라사이트 vital importance of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s thriving international student culture perhaps also played a part in 바카라사이트ir thinking.

Those attending 바카라사이트 EAIE summit this week will hope that more cities and more communities across 바카라사이트 world do not turn 바카라사이트ir backs on 바카라사이트 ideal of international cooperation that has benefited higher education and civic centres so much over 바카라사이트 centuries, and continues to do so today.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com