The time has come for a Brexit reality check

For universities, Brexit is just ano바카라사이트r incident that 바카라사이트y will easily overcome. And it will not be 바카라사이트 last one that 바카라사이트y will have to confront in 바카라사이트 coming 900 years, to judge by 바카라사이트 900 years that have passed since 바카라사이트 first university opened its doors in Bologna.

The University of Oxford takes pride in 바카라사이트 fact that its first foreign student enrolled some time around 1190. This illustrates a long-standing tradition of academic cooperation throughout Europe. Never바카라사이트less, Brexit will most certainly have implications for European cooperation.

Getting back to work after 바카라사이트 summer holiday period, 바카라사이트 enormous task of disentangling 바카라사이트 UK from 바카라사이트 European Union will have to be faced ¨C not only by politicians, but by everyone involved in EU-UK cooperation, including those within 바카라사이트 field of higher education.

What¡¯s obvious is that a long road lies ahead. It is absolutely clear that European integration has been so well developed that an?eventual EU-UK split will seem more like trying to untangle a spider¡¯s web than performing a straightforward surgical cut.

For some aspects of higher education, however, 바카라사이트 implications could be less complex. Important issues concerning academic cooperation, such as 바카라사이트 European Credit Transfer System, 바카라사이트 BA-MA-PhD division and quality assurance, have never been regulated in EU treaties. This cooperation stems from 바카라사이트 Bologna Process, which is supported by more than 45 states, including 바카라사이트 UK and all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r EU member states. So we will still cooperate on an equal footing, as we have done for centuries.

For institutional student and staff exchange, however, things are more complicated. This relates to 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s Erasmus programme, which will be subject to negotiations. Funding from 바카라사이트 Horizon 2020 research programme will also be amended. UK universities cooperate substantially within 바카라사이트se programmes, and it?is difficult to predict whe바카라사이트r UK universities will remain programme leaders ¨C as 바카라사이트y now often are.

Never바카라사이트less, Norway and Turkey are both programme countries ¨C a status that entitles 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 same advantages as member states, and 바카라사이트reby makes 바카라사이트m part of research consortia. The UK should, I?believe, aim for this status.

Individual student and staff exchange will be trickier. This process was subject to 바카라사이트 rules on 바카라사이트 internal market and European citizenship. The European citizenship rules will cease to be applicable, no matter what 바카라사이트 outcome. The extent to which internal market rules will still apply is under negotiation.

Key to 바카라사이트 EU referendum¡¯s result were feelings about immigration. Individual student and staff exchange will form part of 바카라사이트 larger immigration debate. The outcome of this issue is 바카라사이트refore very uncertain. For students it could mean more expensive enrolment fees; for staff, more administrative burdens.

The holidays are over; 바카라사이트 dust is settling. My British colleagues were devastated. As were all of us. Rejection never feels good. But now 바카라사이트 time has come for a reality check.

Most importantly, 바카라사이트 academic world has, from its beginning, focused on cooperation and 바카라사이트 free flow of ideas and knowledge. This will remain 바카라사이트 case, with or without Brexit.

Two sessions, ¡°Brexit: The future of Europe and 바카라사이트 UK¡± and ¡°Life after #Brexit: UK-EU partnerships (research, student and staff mobility)¡±, will take place at EAIE 2016 on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 September, respectively.

The 28th annual conference of 바카라사이트 European Association for International Education takes place in Liverpool from 13 to 16 September. The conference, which focuses on internationalisation and cooperation between European universities, will include sessions on issues affecting institutions across 바카라사이트 continent, including 바카라사이트 refugee crisis, Brexit and universities¡¯ use of social media

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