Rise of Swedish right tipped to turn off international scholars

Voters have granted 바카라사이트 anti-immigration Sweden Democrats party national influence for 바카라사이트 first time, raising concerns for universities already tied?up in?red tape over international recruitment.

The far-right party came second in a tight parliamentary election on 11?September, winning 20.5?per cent after almost all votes were counted, 3?percentage points more than 바카라사이트 last election in?2018.

The swing would help give a broad right-wing coalition a three-seat majority in parliament if common ground can be found between 바카라사이트 far right and 바카라사이트 Moderate, Liberal and Christian Democrat parties.

The Sweden Democrats have promised to halt immigration from non-European countries, putting an end to a policy of mass asylum-based immigration that began in 바카라사이트 1990s, although 바카라사이트 rules have already become increasingly strict.

Mats Benner, dean of Lund University��s School of Economics and Management, told 온라인 바카라 that immigration policy was ��a?nuisance for universities already as it is, and I?would not expect it to become easier��.

��It is complicated at 바카라사이트 moment to square restrictive migration policies with 바카라사이트 international flow of undergraduate, master��s, PhD students and postdocs,�� he said, adding that a ��large proportion�� of PhD and postdocs at Lund had been affected by such policies.

He said those students and academics who would not personally be affected by harsher rules might still be put off Sweden as a destination if it adopts a less welcoming posture. ��I?don��t foresee that changes will make [Sweden] more attractive,�� he said.

While a government more hostile to immigration would do no favours for internationalisation, Professor Benner said, 바카라사이트 Sweden Democrats did not pose 바카라사이트 wider threat that might be expected in o바카라사이트r countries.

Despite its origins in 바카라사이트 neo-Nazi scene, 바카라사이트 far-right party was ��quite housebroken when it comes to universities��, he said.

��You don��t find 바카라사이트 kind of anti-academic sentiment that you would find in, say, Australia or 바카라사이트 UK,�� Professor Benner said.

According to Tim Ekberg, a former Ministry of Education and Research official and director of planning at Lund: ��Historically, 바카라사이트 right-wing parties have had a slightly greater interest in large-scale excellence investments and a smaller interest in investing in 바카라사이트 university colleges. There has also been a greater interest in implementing reforms that increase 바카라사이트 autonomy of higher education institutions from 바카라사이트 right-wing bloc.��

But 바카라사이트 fragile nature of a loose right-wing coalition means that major changes in higher education policy were unlikely in 바카라사이트 coming years. ��Safe to say, 바카라사이트 greatest challenge for 바카라사이트 incoming prime minister will be managing 바카라사이트 balance between 바카라사이트 Sweden Democrats and 바카라사이트 Liberal Party,�� said Mr?Ekberg.

During 바카라사이트 election campaigns, 바카라사이트 Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions renewed calls for academic freedom to be enshrined in 바카라사이트 constitution, but Professor Benner said such ��high-hanging fruit�� would be beyond 바카라사이트 reach of 바카라사이트 now-expanded right.

��The economic downturn, rising inflation, interest rate increases, rising energy costs and increased rents will probably affect 바카라사이트 higher education and research sector to a higher extent than new political reforms,�� said Mr?Ekberg.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com