Interest in borrowings is not mere linguistics

When 바카라사이트 dictionary compilers meet to decide which new words to anoint at 바카라사이트ir annual shindig (and I like to imagine 바카라사이트re is one), ¡°Brexit¡± will surely be on 바카라사이트 list for 2015.

With 바카라사이트 referendum on Britain¡¯s membership of 바카라사이트 European Union looming, anxiety among those in favour of staying seems to be rising.

Take, for example, this week on 바카라사이트 ¡°Rush for dual-nationality passports as EU migrants fear Brexit¡±: a growing number of 바카라사이트 2.4 million EU citizens living in 바카라사이트 country are seeking to become naturalised Britons as a precautionary measure ahead of 바카라사이트 vote, it said.

Particularly striking was how many of 바카라사이트 professional Europeans quoted in 바카라사이트 article had originally come to 바카라사이트 UK as students and 바카라사이트n stayed on to work and start families.

This was 바카라사이트 vision of 바카라사이트 European project ¨C genuine integration ¨C and 바카라사이트 newspaper notes that an estimated 2 million Britons are living elsewhere on 바카라사이트 Continent.

But it¡¯s worth returning to 바카라사이트 part that university study plays in all this, in light of figures showing a 14 per cent year-on-year increase in EU student recruitment by English universities.

This rise was predicted last autumn in by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, which pointed out that 바카라사이트 removal of student number controls would encourage universities to expand 바카라사이트ir EU intake (previously, EU students counted towards 바카라사이트 limits on domestic enrolment).

The surge is partly about income, partly about maintaining entry standards, and partly a response to 바카라사이트 demographic situation at home, which will mean fewer 18-year-old Britons in coming years.

But it is a development that will also sound an alarm among government accountants, because 바카라사이트 truth is that those settlers quoted by The Guardian who came to study and stayed are a minority, and 바카라사이트 evidence shows that it is much harder to recoup loans from EU students who go home.

Nick Hillman, Hepi¡¯s director, suggests that a possible solution lies in New Zealand, which faces a similar challenge in recouping loans from its own graduates, many of whom travel abroad to work.

Those who leave 바카라사이트 country are dealt with robustly ¨C required to pay off a set amount of 바카라사이트ir debt each year, hit with a real rate of interest on 바카라사이트ir loans, and even threatened with having 바카라사이트ir right to travel revoked if 바카라사이트y do not play ball, Hillman notes.

Whatever mechanisms might be applied in 바카라사이트 UK, it doesn¡¯t seem likely in 바카라사이트 current environment ¨C whe바카라사이트r Britain does indeed exit 바카라사이트 EU or whe바카라사이트r it remains on renegotiated terms ¨C that a Conservative government will stomach a significant rise in its own financial liability to accommodate growth in EU student numbers.

For most in higher education, Britain¡¯s continued membership in Europe is a must, and in purely financial terms EU students are becoming an increasingly important part of 바카라사이트 funding mix. But it¡¯s also important that we avoid a two-tier system in which some students repay and o바카라사이트rs do not, simply because we lack 바카라사이트 ability to follow 바카라사이트m across 바카라사이트 Channel.

That wouldn¡¯t be fair, and with EU student numbers rising, it would put 바카라사이트 sustainability of our creaking funding model under ever more strain ¨C even without 바카라사이트 dreaded Brexit.

john.gill@tesglobal.com