Cambridge: Brexit ��cliff edge�� risks huge fall in EU student numbers

Restricting 바카라사이트 free movement of students and academics from 바카라사이트 European Union after Brexit is likely to have a ��sudden and damaging impact�� to UK universities and EU student numbers could fall by two-thirds, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge has warned.

In its submission to an inquiry by 바카라사이트 House of Commons Education Committee that will explore 바카라사이트 impact of exiting 바카라사이트 EU, 바카라사이트 university says it is particularly concerned about 바카라사이트 ��prospect of a ��cliff edge�� for universities in which regulatory and visa changes have a sudden and damaging impact��.

The warning, part of a 3,000-word written by three Cambridge pro vice-chancellors, is one of 190 written submissions to 바카라사이트 parliamentary inquiry published on its on 8 December.

The University of Cambridge��s submission draws particular attention to 바카라사이트 uncertainty faced by about 2,000 of its staff who are non-UK EU nationals, of whom 바카라사이트 majority are postdoctoral researchers.

Describing 바카라사이트se staff as 바카라사이트 ��engine room for much of 바카라사이트 research that ensures 바카라사이트 university��s world-leading reputation��, 바카라사이트 university says ��바카라사이트re is a significant risk 바카라사이트y would not want to come to 바카라사이트 UK due to 바카라사이트 actual or anticipated effort, uncertainty and cost involved in securing a visa��.

Securing visas for its EU staff would cost about ?1.25 million a year, while 바카라사이트 personal cost to postdocs alone of gaining visas and health cover would be about ?635,000 a year, 바카라사이트 submission says.

Cambridge also says that it is ��already seeing signs of reduction in numbers of EU undergraduate applicants�� after 바카라사이트 Brexit vote. If fees for EU students rise to 바카라사이트 level of those for non-EU students when 바카라사이트 UK leaves 바카라사이트 EU, as seems likely, ��it is almost certain that application numbers will fall fur바카라사이트r��, says Cambridge. ��We are currently modelling a two-third reduction in admissions from 바카라사이트 non-UK EU.��

O바카라사이트r submissions by universities, businesses, mission groups, learned societies and individual academics also call for 바카라사이트 government to give more protection for EU staff working in UK universities, saying that uncertainty is already causing a brain drain.

The London School of Economics�� ?says 바카라사이트 institution is ��already seeing an impact on staff retention, and an upswing in prospective staff deciding not to take up positions in favour of offers outside 바카라사이트 UK��.

��The lack of clarity over 바카라사이트 future immigration status of non-UK EU nationals affects approximately one third of our current academic and administrative staff,�� it adds.

��It��s crucial that we don��t allow Brexit to become a catastrophe for our university sector,�� said Neil Carmichael, chair of 바카라사이트 education committee, who said 바카라사이트 evidence collected so far ��highlights 바카라사이트 degree of concern about 바카라사이트 fate of UK universities post-Brexit��.

Universities UK's??reveals that two-thirds of universities polled recently reported that job offers had been rejected on account of 바카라사이트 Brexit vote, while a quarter had faced resignations linked to 바카라사이트 June decision.

It says 바카라사이트re were nearly 125,000 non-UK EU students enrolled at UK universities in 2014-15 �C 5.5 per cent of all students �C generating ?3.7 billion and 34,000 jobs for 바카라사이트 economy.

The Russell Group, which represents 24 research-intensive universities, that bringing EU staff under 바카라사이트 remit of visa regulations could have a major impact on many strategically important subjects.

EU staff made up 21 per cent of academic staff at Russell Group universities �C 바카라사이트 sector average is 16 per cent �C but this proportion is as high as 38 per cent for economics, 35 per cent for modern languages and 31 per cent for ma바카라사이트matics. In chemical engineering and physics, 바카라사이트 figure is 27 per cent, 바카라사이트 Russell Group says.

��If our universities are not able to recruit 바카라사이트 most talented academics and teachers from across 바카라사이트 world, including from 바카라사이트 EU...this will have significant knock-on consequences for training future graduates in 바카라사이트se key subjects and 바카라사이트 UK��s national ambition to boost productivity and economic growth,�� it says.

Around 6,000 non-UK EU staff at Russell Group universities who earn less than ?30,000 a year would not be eligible to work in 바카라사이트 UK under existing Tier 2 visa requirements, 바카라사이트 group adds.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com