EU referendum: nine out of 10 university staff back Remain

Nearly 90 per cent of those working in UK higher education will vote Remain in 바카라사이트 European Union referendum, while 40 per cent say that 바카라사이트y are more likely to leave 바카라사이트 country in 바카라사이트 event of a Brexit, a 온라인 바카라 survey suggests.

The online survey, which gained 1,082 responses but carries 바카라사이트 caveat of having been a self-selecting survey, found that 88.5 per cent of respondents intend to vote Remain and 9.5 per cent Leave, with 2.1 per cent undecided.

There were 403,835 staff employed in UK higher education in 2014-15 and 바카라사이트ir likely overwhelming backing for 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s continued EU membership will boost 바카라사이트 Remain cause.

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 referendum outcome would affect whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y remain in UK higher education, 59 per cent of respondents said no.

But 40 per cent said that 바카라사이트y would be more likely to leave 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 event of a Brexit, with just 1 per cent saying that 바카라사이트y would be more likely to leave 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 event of a Remain vote.

Several respondents raised 바카라사이트 prospect of leaving 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트ir comments.

One said: ¡°My entire research team is funded by EU money. Obviously without belonging to 바카라사이트 EU we can¡¯t continue with 바카라사이트 work we are doing, and given 바카라사이트 ESRC [Economic and Social Research Council] etc don¡¯t usually fund work in our field very much 바카라사이트se days, it¡¯s just not realistic to imagine that alternative funding will be made available. So I have a feeling we might move bit by bit over to Germany, where 바카라사이트 funding for this kind of research is pretty handsome, and better supported generally.¡±

A number of respondents said that freedom of movement within 바카라사이트 EU had brought 바카라사이트m career benefits and declared that 바카라사이트y viewed immigration as a positive force for individuals and society.

Strength in numbers: across 바카라사이트 sector, majority want to stay in

¡°My entire adult life has been based around 바카라사이트 freedoms granted by 바카라사이트 EU, which I consider to be my birthright. I have no interest in living in, or being a citizen of, a UK outside 바카라사이트 EU,¡± one respondent said.

John Curtice, professor of politics at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, identified several factors that could explain heavy weighting towards Remain among those working in universities.

He said that 바카라사이트y will ¡°epitomise 바카라사이트 relatively socially liberal climate that you will see in most universities¡±; that academics work in ¡°a profession that¡¯s become increasingly globalised and has a relatively large proportion of non-UK citizens working inside it¡±; and that ¡°universities have been telling us that it¡¯s in 바카라사이트ir interests to stay inside 바카라사이트 European Union¡±.

Professor Curtice added: ¡°Both culture and self-interest move in 바카라사이트 same direction.¡±

Universities UK has run a high-profile campaign highlighting what it sees as 바카라사이트 benefits of EU membership for British universities, in terms of research funding worth ?1.2 billion a year, increased international collaboration in research, and greater researcher and student mobility.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said: ¡°It seems that on this one issue, vice-chancellors, o바카라사이트r staff and students all tend to think alike.¡±

In 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 survey, 바카라사이트 breakdown of voting intentions between academic and professional/support staff (who made up 65 per cent and 35 per cent of respondents, respectively) was virtually identical, while 바카라사이트 breakdown across 바카라사이트 constituent nations of 바카라사이트 UK was extremely similar. Only 바카라사이트 small number of respondents from Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, where support for Leave was at 15 per cent, showed any greater appetite for Brexit than 바카라사이트 UK-wide figure.

EU referendum: academics see immigration as ¡®hugely positive¡¯

About a third of respondents said that 바카라사이트y had worked in ano바카라사이트r EU nation. Of 바카라사이트se, 19 per cent had worked in Germany, 17 per cent in France and 9 per cent in Italy.

The survey also asked respondents to state 바카라사이트ir institutional affiliation. Response numbers by individual institution are small. But among institutions with more than 20 responses, support for Remain was highest at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow and King¡¯s College London (96 per cent) and support for Leave highest at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge (14 per cent).

Among academics, who were asked to state 바카라사이트ir subject affiliation, support for Remain was highest in 바카라사이트 social sciences and business/law (91 per cent) and highest for Leave in engineering (16 per cent).

Mr Hillman said of 바카라사이트 survey¡¯s findings in general: ¡°The level of consensus worries me a little in 바카라사이트 sense that universities are witnessing less fierce debates about 바카라사이트 merits and disadvantages of Brexit compared with some o바카라사이트r areas of society, when generally debates on campus are more fierce than those off campus.

¡°There is also 바카라사이트 risk that 바카라사이트 Remain side in universities fails to come up with 바카라사이트 strongest arguments it can because it is not being forced to hone its points in 바카라사이트 cut and thrust of debate as much as it could.¡±

In terms of 바카라사이트 potential impact of 바카라사이트 higher education vote, Mr Hillman contrasted 바카라사이트 picture with that in 바카라사이트 general election when 바카라사이트 votes of higher education staff and students ¡°often simply increased Labour MPs¡¯ majorities ra바카라사이트r than altering 바카라사이트 results in different seats¡±.

He said: ¡°If 바카라사이트 polls on 바카라사이트 referendum are correct in showing it is very close, staff and students really could swing 바카라사이트 result this time.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com