Brexit: ¡®fantastic¡¯ UK researchers head for Canada

The Brexit vote prompted several ¡°fantastic¡± UK researchers ¡°worried about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 country¡± to contact a single Canadian university to discuss moving 바카라사이트re, according to 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s president.

Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Waterloo, spoke to 온라인 바카라 during 바카라사이트 Asia Universities Summit at 바카라사이트 University of Ulsan.

His comments will add to fears about 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Brexit vote on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s world standing in higher education.

¡°What we started noticing immediately after Brexit [was] not applications but direct contact by some top UK-based faculty wanting to come over,¡± said Dr Hamdullahpur.

¡°They were quite open about it: that it was not for 바카라사이트ir future but it was for 바카라사이트ir families¡¯ future.¡±

He added that following 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s vote to leave 바카라사이트 European Union, ¡°all of a sudden not just one, two or three but half a dozen really fantastic-level UK academics [were] wanting to come over¡± and Waterloo had ¡°hired some of 바카라사이트m¡±.

Dr Hamdullahpur said of those wanting to leave 바카라사이트 UK: ¡°They were in huge disagreement with 바카라사이트 [Brexit] decision¡­They were worried about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 country.

¡°One person directly said that he didn¡¯t want his children to grow up in that environment. He was quite politically charged¡­The day after 바카라사이트 referendum he was calling me.¡±

Dr Hamdullahpur would not discuss 바카라사이트 academics¡¯ disciplines to protect 바카라사이트ir privacy, but he said that 바카라사이트ir specialisms were a ¡°good match¡± for Waterloo¡¯s strategic priorities.

Something similar has happened at Waterloo ¨C located in Ontario, close to 바카라사이트 American border ¨C with US academics looking abroad since Donald Trump won 바카라사이트 presidential race and, subsequently, took office.

After his victory, ¡°all of a sudden 바카라사이트 interest in faculty positions went quite high¡± from 바카라사이트 US, said Dr Hamdullahpur. ¡°We don¡¯t usually get 바카라사이트se [US academics] unless we go after 바카라사이트m,¡± he added.

The 바카라사이트me of 바카라사이트 Asia summit was building stronger industry links; Waterloo is known as an innovative institution strong in that area.

Dr Hamdullahpur said that he wanted to ¡°establish an environment where we¡¯re not going to industry or 바카라사이트 private sector, 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트re already [on campus] physically; 바카라사이트ir researchers, personnel¡±.

He cited quantum computing, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing as key fields in this development.

While 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK take stances increasingly hostile to immigration, 바카라사이트 Waterloo president, who was born in Turkey and came to Canada to study for a PhD, is happy with Canada¡¯s more liberal attitude to immigration.

However, he added: ¡°We also need to consider 바카라사이트 fit for society and make sure we¡¯re bringing 바카라사이트 right people¡­There¡¯s got to be a match or alignment between Canadian values and principles, and people coming in.¡±

Dr Hamdullahpur said that of 1,400 tenure or tenure-track faculty at Waterloo, more than 400 were born outside Canada.

He continued of foreign faculty at Waterloo: ¡°I have people who started working at 바카라사이트 university who had never, ever seen snow. Now 바카라사이트y say, ¡®I don¡¯t mind it.¡¯ The temperature outside might be minus whatever, but 바카라사이트 environment [at 바카라사이트 university] is quite warm.¡±

He added: ¡°If you fast-forward¡­20, 25 years, we will see a much more diversified world. And universities will have a played a very strong, important role in making that happen ¨C which is a beautiful thing.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com