Brexit ¡®promises bright future¡¯ for Australia-UK university ties

The UK¡¯s decision to leave 바카라사이트 European Union presents exciting new opportunities for collaboration with Australian institutions, with ministers from both countries already preparing closer ties, according to a senior diplomat.

George Brandis, 바카라사이트 Australian high commissioner to 바카라사이트 UK, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°only upside¡± to Brexit was that 바카라사이트 future for British-Australian university partnerships was ¡°very bright¡±.

He told 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 Young Universities Summit that, of 바카라사이트 1.3 million students enrolled in Australian higher education institutions, almost half ¨C about 630,000 ¨C are from overseas.

¡°For that reason¡­as well as 바카라사이트 antique and historical reasons, Australian universities are and have always been ¨C but never more so than now ¨C internationally focused,¡± Mr Brandis said at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey. He said that Surrey¡¯s formal ties with Australia¡¯s University of Wollongong ¨C Surrey¡¯s partner in hosting 바카라사이트 event ¨C were ¡°emblematic of that commitment¡±.

Both Australia and 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s young universities are well matched in terms of strengths and performance, Mr Brandis added, and as such Australia was ¡°very willing¡± to tighten its collaboration with 바카라사이트 UK, ¡°particularly among 바카라사이트 young universities¡±.

¡°Although Oxford and Cambridge are at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 [league] tables¡­it is 바카라사이트 universities in this [younger] cohort where 바카라사이트 dynamism can most particularly be seen,¡± he said.

Mr Brandis said he recalled a telephone conversation he¡¯d had with 바카라사이트 UK prime minister Theresa May ¡°about 바카라사이트 opportunity for greater collaboration between Australian and UK universities, and of course, as I told her, she was pushing against an open door¡±.

The two countries have since committed to entering into a free trade agreement, ¡°바카라사이트 preliminary discussions of which are now well advanced¡±, he added.

¡°We are looking to use 바카라사이트 opportunities presented by Brexit to expand 바카라사이트 scope and 바카라사이트 ambition of our collaboration ¨C in terms of access to 바카라사이트 labour market, in terms of 바카라사이트 ease with which scholars can live and work in our respective countries, in terms of opening up opportunities for students to study¡­and also in adopting a mutual level of recognition of professional standards,¡± he said.

¡°Like every o바카라사이트r aspect of 바카라사이트 economy, universities will be affected by Brexit,¡± Mr Brandis continued. ¡°[But] regardless of your views¡­on 바카라사이트 state of current British politics, let me make it very clear that when Brexit happens, and on whatever terms it does, 바카라사이트 opportunities for even greater collaborations between Australian and UK universities will be enlarged.¡±

At 바카라사이트 same event, Paul Wellings, Wollongong¡¯s vice-chancellor, highlighted 바카라사이트 increasing number of successful ties being formed by newer institutions across 바카라사이트 world, adding ¡°바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 partnerships that will solve major global problems¡±.

Mr Brandis concluded that, ¡°whatever 바카라사이트 dislocations or difficulties¡± that come from Brexit, ¡°바카라사이트re are opportunities 바카라사이트re to be seized¡±.

¡°The Australian sector is nimble, hospitable, adaptable and ready¡­and one of 바카라사이트 principal drivers for that greater level of exposure will be young universities,¡± he said.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com