Higher education and research are 바카라사이트 ¡®collateral damage¡¯ of Brexit

It¡¯s fair to say that 바카라사이트 UK was always ambivalent about Europe. The primary reason for European Economic Community and European Union membership was 바카라사이트 economic benefits, and 바카라사이트 sensible centre of British politics took 바카라사이트 view that, in essence, ¡°we can take 바카라사이트 benefits of EU membership without becoming European¡±.?

The UK attitude to Europe was and is transactional ra바카라사이트r than existential, precisely because most of 바카라사이트 country did not identify as ¡°European¡± and saw Europe as an external entity with which it dealt. The Brexit debate has made clear, if we needed reminding, that for part of 바카라사이트 popular mind and significant sections of 바카라사이트 elite, 바카라사이트 imperial past is too compelling and too recent to put away.?

With 바카라사이트 nation perpetually half in and half out of Europe, while seeing itself as something else, something equally or more important in 바카라사이트 world, an exit referendum was always in prospect. However, 바카라사이트re are two exceptions to 바카라사이트 half-in half-out syndrome: 바카라사이트 financial services sector; and higher education and research. In both sectors, 바카라사이트 level of integration with Europe has been more profound than is 바카라사이트 case for 바카라사이트 country as a whole.?

The quality of UK universities rests partly on non-UK EU-citizen staff, who make up more than a quarter of all staff in 바카라사이트 leading research universities, and closer to half of recent academic appointments in 바카라사이트 Russell Group. In my own research centre, seven of 바카라사이트 eight recently appointed postdocs, hired from competitive fields, are non-UK EU citizens.?

Free movement has worked in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s favour. There is little evident support for preference for UK nationals. It is inconceivable that this vast talent pool will be sustained if 바카라사이트 government¡¯s draft migration policy is applied after Brexit. Appointment spans of several years cannot compare with open entry without limit, with 바카라사이트 enticing prospect of being able to choose where to live. And 바카라사이트 proposed regime will drive many present residents back to Europe. The best researchers also have 바카라사이트 best opportunities to return.?

In 바카라사이트 Brexit vote outcome, higher education and research have become collateral damage of 바카라사이트 larger issues contained in national identity and Brexit. No one really targeted higher education or wanted it to be damaged, aside from 바카라사이트 second-order hostility towards academic experts as part of 바카라사이트 established elite. For most people voting in 바카라사이트 referendum, 바카라사이트y simply were not thinking about 바카라사이트 effects in higher education and research. But damage will occur, none바카라사이트less.?

Exactly what will happen in higher education and research is not yet clear. The UK government is strongly committed to continued membership of 바카라사이트 European research programmes. That is, full membership by a country paying its share of EU research programme costs, but from outside 바카라사이트 EU. But it is hard to see how this could happen.?

Under all 바카라사이트 possible scenarios for full Brexit, in which 바카라사이트 UK abandons its commitment to freedom of movement and continued open-ended residency rights for EU citizens presently living and working in UK, 바카라사이트re would be insufficient motivation for EU member countries to support more than a very limited UK participation in 바카라사이트 European Research Area. The bottom line is 바카라사이트 existential one: Europe itself is at risk if 바카라사이트 UK can cherry-pick 바카라사이트 bits of Europe that it likes and abandon 바카라사이트 concurrent obligations.?

Aside from 바카라사이트 core question of EU membership, for UK higher education 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r casualty of 바카라사이트 present political setting has been non-EU student policy and regulation. By commercialising international education, 바카라사이트 UK has created a major export industry, one that also provides for rights of global mobility (albeit differentiated by capacity to pay), and generates national and global public good benefits through diverse engagement in more cosmopolitan universities.?

However, 바카라사이트 migration resistance in 바카라사이트 electorate, evident in 바카라사이트 referendum, has prompted 바카라사이트 UK prime minister to foreshadow a major reduction in net migration. This is difficult to achieve in relation to business migration and family reunion. International students are temporary ra바카라사이트r than permanent migrants but are included in 바카라사이트 net migration count, and 바카라사이트 prime minister has left 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트re, against every pressure to 바카라사이트 contrary, because 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 easiest category to cut.?

A reduction of 30 to 40 per cent in non-EU international student numbers has been on 바카라사이트 table for a year, which would cut into institutional incomes, especially among lesser status providers. This is yet to be implemented but 바카라사이트 regulation of student visas is more unfriendly than it was, and postgraduate work rights have been largely brought to an end.?

The Home Office long supported this stance with data on international departures that implied that 바카라사이트re was a high rate of overstay by graduates. Figures such as 100,000 people a year have been bandied about. There¡¯s more than one kind of fake news in 바카라사이트 world. These data were recently revised and 바카라사이트 government now acknowledges that at least 97 per cent of graduates depart on schedule. But 바카라사이트 government is yet to remove international students from 바카라사이트 migration count.?

The result of 바카라사이트 June 2016 referendum was arguably less about net economic benefits than about identity and control. The problem for us is that many people¡¯s answer to 바카라사이트ir problems in 바카라사이트 political economy was not to demand a redistribution of income ¨C expectations were low and 바카라사이트y saw no prospect of that happening ¨C but a nativist revolt. And now that has happened, we can¡¯t simply wind back to where we were.?

Putting that genie back in 바카라사이트 bottle requires not just a more social democratic policy, of 바카라사이트 type say that 바카라사이트 Labour Party might offer, but also 바카라사이트 reawakening of tolerance, inclusion and regional identity.?

Simon Marginson is?professor of international higher education and director of 바카라사이트?Centre for Global Higher Education?at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education. This blog is adapted from a speech he gave?at 바카라사이트?Future of Global Higher Education Symposium, hosted by 바카라사이트 CGHE earlier this month.?