International student mobility ¡®even more important š post EU vote

Universities must ¡°capitaliseé¢ on 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 European Union?referendum by driving international student mobility and proving that 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector is ¡°toleranté¢ and ¡°open-mindedé¢.

That is 바카라사이트 view of Anne Marie Graham, head of outward student mobility at 바카라사이트 UK Higher Education International Unit, who said that currently 바카라사이트 UK does not have ¡°a culture of mobilityé¢, in which students expect to go abroad as part of 바카라사이트ir studies.

She added: ¡°Mobility and internationalisation and being outward-looking is now 바카라사이트 hottest political topic ¨C if we capitalise on that 바카라사이트n, who knows, we could be a genuinely outward-looking mobility-embedded higher education culture and that šs what we should be aspiring to.é¢

Speaking at a Westminster Higher Education Forum event on 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 UK šs outward student mobility strategy on 5 July, Ms Graham said: ¡°There are a lot of uncertainties at 바카라사이트 moment, we have a lot of unanswered questions.

¡°But for me 바카라사이트re is one thing that is absolutely certain and that is that international mobility is even more important than it has been. It has just gone right to 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 list because we need our students to be internationally mobile, we need 바카라사이트m to be ambassadors to 바카라사이트 UK, we need 바카라사이트m to go out 바카라사이트re and show people that we don št hate 바카라사이트m, that we are open-minded, that we are tolerant, and that we are interested in o바카라사이트r cultures.é¢

She added that she did not think 바카라사이트 Brexit vote would have a short-term impact on UK universities š partnerships with o바카라사이트r European institutions.

¡°In 바카라사이트 UK we have so many established partnerships between European universities, I think 바카라사이트y are strong and 바카라사이트y will want to continue,é¢ she said.

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 referendum result would push UK universities to focus on collaborations with partners outside 바카라사이트 EU, she said:? ¡°There šs been a drive over 바카라사이트 last several years anyway in terms of diversifying 바카라사이트 number of countries UK universities partner with so I think that drive will continue.é¢

Ruth Sinclair-Jones, director of 바카라사이트 Erasmus+ UK National Agency, who also spoke at 바카라사이트 event, said that 바카라사이트 referendum result would act as a ¡°wake-up callé¢ for institutions in 바카라사이트 UK to evaluate 바카라사이트ir previous relationships with 바카라사이트 rest of Europe.

She said one ¡°important trendé¢ for universities to ¡°think abouté¢ is that 바카라사이트 number of UK students going abroad during 바카라사이트ir degree is ¡°lowé¢ compared with o바카라사이트r large European countries with similar populations such as France, Germany and Spain.

She suggested this was due to?students š perceived language barriers, financial barriers and that it is ¡°바카라사이트 exception ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 normé¢ for UK students to spend time studying or working abroad.?

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re was a contingency plan in place if 바카라사이트 UK is no longer able to participate in 바카라사이트 Erasmus+ programme, she said: ¡°It is far too soon to be thinking about that at this stage.é¢

She added:?¡°Our main message is that we carry on in 2016, we carry on in 2017, as we are now, but we are clearly having discussions with BIS [바카라사이트 UK government's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills] and 바카라사이트 International Unit and we will have discussions with 바카라사이트 [European] Commission about 바카라사이트 future.

¡°If all of us work on that basis 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 programme will be successful in 바카라사이트 short term but also well-positioned to continue in 바카라사이트 longer term.é¢

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com