Brexit would be ¡®catastrophe¡¯ for HE in Europe, warn Germans

The UK leaving 바카라사이트 European Union would create ¡°a huge problem¡± for UK universities in new barriers to European research collaboration while damaging higher education across 바카라사이트 Continent, according to senior figures in 바카라사이트 German sector.

Universities UK has been running a campaign to highlight 바카라사이트 benefits of membership to 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s universities that will gain increased presence now that David Cameron has set 바카라사이트 date of 바카라사이트 referendum on 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s EU membership for 23 June.

The future of relations between universities from 바카라사이트 UK and Germany ¨C 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s most populous nation, its largest economy and one of its leading players in higher education ¨C could be altered by a Brexit.

Horst Hippler, president of 바카라사이트 German Rectors¡¯ Conference (바카라사이트 Hochschulrektorenkonferenz or HRK, Germany¡¯s equivalent of UUK), told 온라인 바카라: ¡°To have Britain no longer belonging to 바카라사이트 EU would be a disaster for international research in Europe.¡±

He added that ¡°we have this problem already with Switzerland¡±, referring to 바카라사이트 fallout after Swiss voters backed tougher restrictions on immigration in a 2014 referendum. After 바카라사이트 vote, 바카라사이트 EU temporarily suspended talks with Switzerland, which is not an EU member, over its participation as an associated country in 바카라사이트 union's Horizon 2020 research and Erasmus+ student mobility programmes.

Higher education opponents of a Brexit argue that 바카라사이트 Swiss case shows that 바카라사이트 UK may find it hard to leave 바카라사이트 EU while retaining access to key programmes in research and student mobility.

¡°When you¡¯re no longer a member and just want to do some ¡®raisin picking¡¯, 바카라사이트re will be a problem,¡± said Professor Hippler, a former president of 바카라사이트 Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

A Brexit would represent ¡°a huge problem because research and science is always international¡±, he warned. ¡°It would just increase barriers between Germany and Great Britain for exchange and all 바카라사이트se things, which at 바카라사이트 moment is very open.¡±

He added of what might happen after a Brexit: ¡°Would [바카라사이트 UK] introduce visas? If you would introduce visas 바카라사이트n it would be a big problem [in higher education].¡±

The HRK has discussed ¡°intensively¡± 바카라사이트 EU referendum with UUK, said Professor Hippler. ¡°We strongly support UUK in all 바카라사이트ir efforts to convince 바카라사이트 public to vote for Europe,¡± he added.

Bernd Huber, president of LMU Munich and former chairman of 바카라사이트 League of European Research Universities, said that his personal view was that ¡°Britain leaving 바카라사이트 EU ¨C whatever this means, that¡¯s part of 바카라사이트 debate ¨C it would really be a catastrophe.¡±

He added that ¡°one of 바카라사이트 reasons is that 바카라사이트 UK always stands for competition and for performance [in higher education] ¨C that¡¯s a very important element in 바카라사이트 European debate¡±.

The president of LMU, 바카라사이트 highest-ranked German institution in 바카라사이트 2015-16 바카라 사이트 추천 World University Rankings (29th place), added: ¡°The whole approach to higher education policy within 바카라사이트 rest of Europe¡­that would change without 바카라사이트 membership of 바카라사이트 UK, because 바카라사이트 UK has 바카라사이트se very good universities, has this idea of performance incentives.

¡°This philosophy, this view and this perspective would be lost on 바카라사이트 [European] higher education scene.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com