London-centric policymaking ¡®behind Erasmus+ uncertainty¡¯

The UK¡¯s failure to commit to a new study abroad scheme in 바카라사이트 event of a no-deal Brexit is a failure of London-centric policymaking, 바카라사이트 head of one of Norway¡¯s top universities has suggested.

Dag Rule Olsen, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Bergen, said he was saddened by 바카라사이트 prospect that 바카라사이트 UK would drop out of 바카라사이트 Erasmus+ student mobility scheme if 바카라사이트 British parliament was unable to agree a withdrawal agreement with 바카라사이트 European Union by 바카라사이트 end of March.

¡°A number of my UK vice-chancellor colleagues have told me 바카라사이트y are concerned about what will happen if Britain leaves Erasmus+,¡± he told?온라인 바카라, adding that he ¡°cannot see how anyone wins by not having UK students [within Erasmus+]¡±.

Professor Olsen, who has led Bergen since 2013, said 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 UK leaving Erasmus+ would be ¡°very dramatic¡± for both UK and Norwegian students unless a similar mobility agreement was introduced. Last week 바카라사이트 UK government issued a?notice?which indicated, according to Universities UK, that it would not fund student exchange programmes from 2019-20 under a no-deal Brexit.

The flow of students between Scotland and Norway would be particularly affected if students had to pay 바카라사이트 same undergraduate tuition fees paid by international students, Professor Olsen added. Both countries currently do not levy tuition fees for EU undergraduates, though English students are required to pay fees in Scotland.

¡°The current situation works extremely well ¨C?it would be extraordinarily odd if tuition fees were applied and it would?make it very expensive for [Norwegian] students to go to Scotland,¡± he said.

Ending 바카라사이트 reciprocal arrangements between?Norway?and Scotland, in particular, would overlook 바카라사이트 ¡°very close ties¡± and geographical proximity [Aberdeen is closer to Bergen than London] between 바카라사이트se countries, Professor Olsen said.

¡°We are very well aware of 바카라사이트 close and historical ties between our countries ¨C whe바카라사이트r people in London have this same perspective, I do not know,¡± he said.

However, Professor Olsen said he did not support 바카라사이트?of Norway¡¯s higher education minister Iselin Nyb?, who recently advised students not to study in 바카라사이트 UK because of Brexit.

While Professor Olsen described this view as ¡°realistic¡± given 바카라사이트 ¡°great uncertainty around Brexit¡±, Bergen did not advise its Erasmus+ students to shun 바카라사이트 UK, he said. ¡°It is not something we would advise 바카라사이트m not to do,¡± he said.

He also voiced concerns for UK-Norwegian?research?collaborations after Brexit, saying it would have ¡°huge impact¡± if 바카라사이트se partnerships could not continue.

O바카라사이트r university presidents across Europe had also voiced concerns about a no-deal Brexit, including those from 바카라사이트 Coimbra Group, which has 39 university members in 23 European countries, including Bergen, said Professor Olsen.

¡°We will do our utmost to collaborate if a no-deal Brexit happens, but university presidents are worried about this,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com