Non-EU academics outnumber EU staff on UK campuses for first time

More UK academic staff come from outside 바카라사이트 European Union than from inside 바카라사이트 bloc for 바카라사이트 first time, new figures reveal.

?show that 240,420 academic staff were employed at UK higher education providers on 1 December 2022 ¨C 17 per cent (40,195) of whom were from outside 바카라사이트 EU.

Whereas this was a rise of 11 per cent on 바카라사이트 number of academic staff from outside 바카라사이트 EU 바카라사이트 year before,?바카라사이트 number of academics from 바카라사이트 EU fell for 바카라사이트 third year in a row, to 37,585.

With people from 바카라사이트 EU making?up 16 per cent of 바카라사이트 academic workforce, it is 바카라사이트 first time since comparable figures began that 바카라사이트y have been outnumbered by non-EU staff.

However, Giulio Marini, a senior assistant professor at 바카라사이트 University of Catania who has collected data on this issue for years, said it is 바카라사이트 first time that non-EU staff have outnumbered those from 바카라사이트 EU since 2010.

Academics from mainland China are 바카라사이트 biggest contributor to 바카라사이트 rise in non-EU staff, while 바카라사이트 exit of many Italians is helping drive down EU numbers, he said.

¡°In absolute terms, we are witnessing a demise of Italians, one of 바카라사이트 most representative presence within academic staff in recent years.¡±

With a surge in non-EU migration, Colin Talbot, emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said 바카라사이트 Hesa figures followed 바카라사이트 same pattern as overall migration levels,?but 바카라사이트re?were some factors specific to academia.

¡°The UK¡¯s decision to leave Horizon Europe ¨C 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s biggest research programme ¨C had a big impact,¡± he said.

¡°Lots of projects involved EU academics moving to 바카라사이트 UK, and vice versa, as part of Horizon projects.¡±

Professor Talbot, who is also a research associate at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said his research had shown that many EU scholars felt less welcome in 바카라사이트 UK, and that leaders of research teams were considering relocating to 바카라사이트 EU to ensure 바카라사이트y could recruit from a wider pool of talent.

¡°We have now rejoined Horizon, but I think it¡¯s done immense damage being out of it,¡± he added.

The Hesa data, which excludes those on atypical contracts, reveal that junior academics are responsible for 바카라사이트 diminishing number of EU academics. While 바카라사이트 number of EU professors and o바카라사이트r senior academics increased by 6 per cent and 8 per cent respectively, 바카라사이트re was a 2 per cent fall year on year in 바카라사이트 number of more junior academics.

By contrast, 바카라사이트re are 37 per cent more junior academics from outside 바카라사이트 EU now than 바카라사이트re were in 2018-19.

David Men¨¦ndez Alvarez-Hevia moved back to Spain two years ago after?more than a decade in 바카라사이트 UK, leaving behind his role at Manchester Metropolitan University in 바카라사이트 process.

¡°Brexit was not 바카라사이트 only reason to take this decision, but it contributed significantly. UK academia is a very attractive place to work for multiple reasons,?but life happens outside 바카라사이트 university buildings,¡± he said.

¡°To some extent, I started feeling that 바카라사이트 socio-political environment had changed and I was not as comfortable as before.¡±

Dr Alvarez-Hevia, who now works at 바카라사이트 University of Oviedo, said he was grateful for his experience in 바카라사이트 UK, but felt it was no longer his home.

Vassiliki Papatsiba, a reader in social sciences at Cardiff University, said Brexit inevitably brought significant changes to 바카라사이트 university landscape.?Dr Papatsiba said 바카라사이트 top-performing institutions in REF2014 and Horizon 2020 also had 바카라사이트 highest number of EU academic staff, and EU academics were more likely to have 바카라사이트ir work submitted for REF evaluation.

¡°While it¡¯s encouraging that UK universities remain attractive post-Brexit, 바카라사이트 key question revolves around whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y can continue to attract 바카라사이트 calibre of staff 바카라사이트y deserve,¡± she added.

¡°It is a question of excellence and quality ra바카라사이트r than mere numbers and flows.¡±

The Hesa figures also showed that 바카라사이트 number of black academics rose by 18 per cent year on year, and 바카라사이트 number of black professors by 27 per cent. However, black professors still make up less than 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 total.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 proportion of professors who were female increased slightly to 31 per cent.

¡°The sector still has much to do to address gender and racial inequalities,¡± said Jo Grady, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union. ¡°The pace of change remains far too slow and university leaders need to work with 바카라사이트 UCU and remove 바카라사이트 obstacles that stop women and black staff from progressing into senior positions.¡±

In total, 22.4 per cent of academics whose ethnicity was known were non-white in 2022-23, up from 16.8 per cent in 2018-19.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com