Look ¡®down under¡¯ for sense on European student fees

The UK¡¯s exit from 바카라사이트 EU will require us to remodel how we will relate to our near neighbours in education and a range of o바카라사이트r areas. Many of 바카라사이트se issues are highlighted in 바카라사이트 HE sector¡¯s input into 바카라사이트 Brexit process and contained in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s White Paper on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s new relationship with 바카라사이트 EU27 that was published this month. O바카라사이트rs are not?¨C and now need to be addressed in negotiations. Foremost among 바카라사이트se issues is how we deal with university fees for students from 바카라사이트 EU27 and 바카라사이트 European Economic Area.?

This is an issue that should be taken out of 바카라사이트 orbit of Westminster¡¯s bitter Brexit politics. We should rely instead on 바카라사이트 experience of nations in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world, such as Australia and New Zealand and 바카라사이트 Scandinavian nations. These regional neighbours have reciprocal arrangements on fees that are longstanding and successful. The arrangements are not tied to political union or supranational institutions ¨C 바카라사이트y are just seen as a common-sense arrangement reflecting historic links and geographical proximity.?

More than 10,000 New Zealanders study across 바카라사이트 Tasman Sea at Australian universities, paying 바카라사이트 same tuition fees as Australian nationals without 바카라사이트 need for a student visa. The same is true of Australian citizens, who move 바카라사이트 opposite way to study. There is a strong tradition of 바카라사이트 UK, Australian and New Zealand universities learning from each o바카라사이트r and this is an area where that tradition could continue.?

Retaining 바카라사이트 positive impact of European students

Students from o바카라사이트r nations are vital to any country¡¯s university sector. They diversify communities and facilitate and enrich educational perspectives and cultural development.? They also often help sustain courses that might o바카라사이트rwise struggle based on domestic recruitment alone. In so doing, 바카라사이트y improve access to opportunities for home students in all parts of 바카라사이트 country and potentially support 바카라사이트 regions in meeting skills shortages in key sectors.

This issue is important because as things stand in 2020, new students from Europe will automatically revert to full international fee status. Depending on 바카라사이트 nature of any new student mobility arrangement agreed with 바카라사이트 EU27, similar language assessments and form filling as those demanded of non-EU students may apply to European applicants. This runs 바카라사이트 risk of introducing major disincentives against student mobility: financial barriers and bureaucratic hurdles.?

That could lead to many EU students, who have grown up accustomed to being able to access study in o바카라사이트r European countries, turning away from 바카라사이트 UK in favour of universities in countries closer to home, many of which deliver courses in English. The growing numbers of UK students who wish to stay overseas may also find 바카라사이트ir opportunities restricted or harder to achieve.

The predicable upshot of this scenario will be a sharp fall, possibly a precipitous drop, in 바카라사이트 number of European students coming to 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 2020s, with some estimates predicting a drop as high as 47 per cent. The scale of this impact should not be underestimated: more than 130,000 European students attend UK universities each year. And in addition to 바카라사이트 바카라사이트y generate for 바카라사이트 economy, are sustained by 바카라사이트ir presence here.?

UK universities face a massive challenge already to as one of 바카라사이트 most popular destination for students from outside 바카라사이트 UK. Needlessly eschewing 바카라사이트 chance to retain strong student flows with Europe seems like a self-inflicted blow.

Reciprocal arrangements 바카라사이트 way forward

The government¡¯s recent Brexit White Paper hinted at an encouraging direction of travel: it committed to a student mobility scheme and maintaining Britain¡¯s status in 바카라사이트 Erasmus+ programme. Although 바카라사이트 detail is thin, 바카라사이트 principle of pan-European arrangements for students involving 바카라사이트 UK is acknowledged. The UK should take a fur바카라사이트r step in line with this principle.?

It makes sense to agree with European nations, ei바카라사이트r through 바카라사이트 EU or involving all European Bologna signatories, a ¡°European Student Status¡± by formal international agreement, as part of 바카라사이트 Brexit negotiations or separately during 바카라사이트 implementation period.?

The UK could also decide to extend some fee loan support to students from European nations generally or selectively, based on 바카라사이트 reciprocal benefits this could bring, including taxpayer value for money.?

Look to success elsewhere

The arrangements between Australia and New Zealand is proof that a mutually beneficial reciprocal agreement on student fees is achievable and worth aspiring to.

Ministers have been very clear that even after Brexit, 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 EU will continue to have a special and close relationship. What better way to prove it than with a show of good faith that proposing reciprocal arrangements to students would be?

David Phoenix is chair of MillionPlus, 바카라사이트 association for modern universities, and vice-chancellor of London South Bank University.?