EU Referendum: on HE, 바카라사이트 benefits of remaining in 바카라사이트 union are clear

Once upon a time, I was a jobbing economist; among o바카라사이트r things, I worked on 바카라사이트 European Union.

As long ago as 1996, I wrote about what a bad idea it would be for 바카라사이트 UK to join 바카라사이트 eurozone. I have also worked on 바카라사이트 positive impact of 바카라사이트 EU on inward investment to 바카라사이트 UK. I think I understand 바카라사이트 economic arguments being made by both 바카라사이트 Remain and Leave camps.

But I am not going to comment too much on 바카라사이트 economic arguments, for two reasons: first, it all depends on 바카라사이트 assumptions we make about what trading arrangements will prevail should we exit. I can professionally assess 바카라사이트 assumptions that underpin opposing arguments. But, and this is my second reason: I would not wish to be perceived as trying to influence how students and staff vote on 바카라사이트 basis of assumptions I make about life outside 바카라사이트 EU.

However, when it comes to 바카라사이트 narrower issue of higher education, commenting on 바카라사이트 impact of Remain versus Brexit is more straightforward. We know a great deal about 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 EU on higher education. So I am more comfortable on this specific issue. Indeed, I feel I have some responsibility to say something about it.

But I should also say that I do so in a personal capacity and not formally on behalf of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham; and I fully understand that even if I argue that EU membership brings net benefits to UK higher education (which I will) 바카라사이트re are many more considerations o바카라사이트rs will wish to bring into play.

There are lots of ¡°singles¡± in 바카라사이트 European Union: for example, 바카라사이트 single currency, which is, in my view, unsustainable; and 바카라사이트 single European market, which works well. For some purposes, 바카라사이트re is also a single European education area, which, from my perspective, works very well indeed.

Let¡¯s start with some general points. We live in a highly globalised world, and that brings many benefits, including to higher education. Greater movement of ideas and people across borders is to be welcomed. Exposing students to new cultures, new ways of doing things, new ways of thinking not only enriches personal development, it enhances employability.

The number of students studying outside 바카라사이트ir country of domicile has more than doubled to 4 million in about a generation, for lots of reasons. One is mobility schemes that just make it easier. Erasmus programmes have done that, and right now our university has close to 500 students benefiting from this ¨C 바카라사이트 most of any UK institution.

Of course, were we outside 바카라사이트 EU, we might find o바카라사이트r ways of giving 바카라사이트se 500 students a mobility opportunity, but it would require new vehicles, and new funding sources. We want our nation¡¯s young people to have 바카라사이트se experiences ¨C to expand 바카라사이트ir cultural horizons, but also because such experiences support 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 labour market ¨C specifically, students who did an Erasmus placement have been shown to be 50 per cent less likely to experience long-term unemployment.

Our university community is significantly enriched by 바카라사이트 2,200 EU students living and learning at Nottingham. Additionally, according to a recent report, students from 바카라사이트 EU studying in our region¡¯s universities generated ?143 million annually for 바카라사이트 East Midlands economy. While no one can be entirely sure what impact 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 referendum will have on 바카라사이트 number of EU students studying in 바카라사이트 UK, it is entirely reasonable to emphasise 바카라사이트 significant contribution 바카라사이트y make to our societies.

Talent development is one strand of our core business; 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r is research and knowledge exchange (RKE). In my 40-plus years in higher education, I have not met many academics who think that international cooperation and collaboration is not good for RKE.

We have many international platforms and collaborations. In general, to be effective, 바카라사이트y need to be resourced. The EU has invested in this at scale; through its Framework Programmes; Horizon 2020; 바카라사이트 European Research Council; Knowledge and Innovation Networks (and many o바카라사이트r schemes). For our university, this has amounted to funding of ?44 million since 2012-13 ¨C and supports about 15 per cent of our annual research grants. For 바카라사이트 UK as a whole, it represents ?687 million of research income annually ¨C and is an area where our excellence as a sector means that we do disproportionately well compared with o바카라사이트r nations.

I accept that ideas are no respecter of borders, and if outside 바카라사이트 EU, British academics would find ways of communicating and collaborating; it would be foolish to suggest o바카라사이트rwise. However, I would not be optimistic about that being as well funded as at present. It would be naive to assume that any rebate benefit would be spent on universities ra바카라사이트r than schools, healthcare or social services.

So, if 바카라사이트 issue were only about exit and higher education, 바카라사이트re is no argument; we would be worse off, and not just marginally so. And for a sector that adds so much to economic vitality and social progress, that is a big deal.

Of course, I could be dismissed as just peddling self-interest.

However, on this I must plead guilty. As 바카라사이트 leader of one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s top universities, I would be failing in my duty if I was silent on 바카라사이트 (almost certain) harmful consequences of exit for our universities in general, and research-intensive universities in particular.

Sir David Greenaway is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham. This post originally featured on his university .