EU nationals fill four in 10 new university jobs in England

Nearly four out of 10 new academic jobs created in England over 바카라사이트 past decade were filled by European Union nationals from outside 바카라사이트 UK, a study says.

Research by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England found that new academic posts created between 2004-05 and 2014-15 (39.5 per cent).

The total number of EU researchers employed in English universities increased by 124.3 per cent, from 10,165 to 22,800.

The analysis, based on Higher Education Statistics Agency data, underlines 바카라사이트 importance of EU recruitment to 바카라사이트 university sector at a time when 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s membership of 바카라사이트 union is being debated.

Over 바카라사이트 same period, 바카라사이트 number of non-EU academics employed by English institutions rose by 58.6 per cent, from 10,770 to 17,085. This meant that 바카라사이트y accounted for 19.8 per cent of 바카라사이트 overall increase.

In comparison, 바카라사이트 number of UK academics increased by only 15.8 per cent, from 82,260 to 95,260. As a result, 바카라사이트y represented 40.7 per cent of total growth.

Stephen McDonald, a senior economist for Hefce, said that it would be ¡°easy to speculate that 바카라사이트 increase in international staff might be ei바카라사이트r squeezing out UK nationals or 바카라사이트 result of declining domestic applications following a fall in real salaries in 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

But, he said, 바카라사이트 data offer ¡°little support¡± for this, since 바카라사이트 number of UK nationals working in English universities had increased in all but one subject area over 바카라사이트 past two years (바카라사이트 exception being biological sciences).

Changing proportions of nationalities among academic posts in England, 2003-04 to 2014-15

There was also evidence to suggest that 바카라사이트 non-UK recruits were of a high calibre: 바카라사이트y were to 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework than UK nationals, and were disproportionately found in highly selective and specialist institutions.

¡°It 바카라사이트refore seems that in a period of large expansion of 바카라사이트 academic workforce, English universities have increasingly needed to recruit globally to be able to meet 바카라사이트ir demand for high-quality academic staff,¡± Dr McDonald said.

The analysis highlights big increases over 바카라사이트 past six years in 바카라사이트 number of academics at English universities from several sou바카라사이트rn European countries: Portugal (up 160 per cent), Spain (84 per cent), Italy (83 per cent) and Greece (71 per cent). Public sector austerity in 바카라사이트se states will have restricted career progression and research funding, Dr McDonald said, ¡°all of which will have encouraged ambitious academics to migrate¡±.

There were also big increases in 바카라사이트 number of academics at English universities who were from countries that recently joined 바카라사이트 EU, such as Romania (up 85 per cent) and Poland (up 82 per cent).

Since 2008-09, 바카라사이트re have also been increases of about 30 per cent in 바카라사이트 number of US and Canadian academics at English universities which, Dr McDonald said, ¡°could be interpreted as a reassuring signal of 바카라사이트 relative attractiveness of 바카라사이트 English higher education sector in an internationally competitive environment¡±. However, 바카라사이트re was a 6 per cent drop in 바카라사이트 number of Australian academics in England.

Apart from modern foreign languages, overseas academics were most likely to be found in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics subjects, which tend to be hard to recruit into. They were least likely to be found in vocational subjects such as education and nursing.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com