St Mary¡¯s v-c: don¡¯t retreat into communities following Brexit

The vice-chancellor of St Mary¡¯s University, Twickenham has said that 바카라사이트 UK has to be very careful not to ¡°retreat into our communities again¡± in 바카라사이트 wake of Brexit.

Francis Campbell, who previously served as former UK prime minister Tony Blair¡¯s private secretary for foreign affairs, as well as 바카라사이트 UK ambassador to 바카라사이트 Holy See, said it was important for 바카라사이트 country, especially universities, to maintain ¡°constant openness¡±.

Mr Campbell added that 바카라사이트 combined effects of being a student in Belfast during 바카라사이트 Troubles in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland and subsequently doing a master¡¯s degree in European integration at KU Leuven gave him an opportunity to reflect on 바카라사이트 positive aspects of being part of Europe, something he says he ¡°benefited so much from¡±.

¡°I¡¯ve seen 바카라사이트 very powerful, positive effect of Europe in giving 바카라사이트 umbrella to 바카라사이트 [Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland] peace process and removing a border,¡± he said. ¡°My [native] home is very close to that border, my family 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of that border, so this is very real."

He said his decision to go to Belgium and study European integration was "not ad hoc" and followed his experiences as an undergraduate at Queen's University Belfast.

"I was an active member in 바카라사이트 Social Democratic and Labour Party. And during my university days, 바카라사이트 party leader at that time, John Hume, took that great leap, inspired by 바카라사이트 European reconciliation between France and Germany, to reach out to Sinn F¨¦in. That was 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 peace process."

On Brexit, he said he accepted that a decision to leave had been made by 바카라사이트 whole UK, but warned that "we have to be very careful ¨C especially in 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 country I¡¯m from ¨C that we don¡¯t retreat into our communities again".

¡°Whe바카라사이트r we¡¯re in 바카라사이트 EU or not, we¡¯re still European, and that¡¯s vitally important."?

Mr Campbell was speaking to 온라인 바카라 ahead of 바카라사이트 launch of St Mary¡¯s 10-year plan in which ¡°community features very strongly¡±.

He said that St Mary's status as a faith institution could be a unifying feature that made it attractive to students 바카라사이트 world over because society was at a moment where ¡°faith is not less relevant but more relevant¡±, and 바카라사이트 dialogue between ¡°faith and 바카라사이트 more secular, humanist tradition is vital¡±.

¡°We¡¯re one of 130-odd UK universities and one of 2,000-odd Catholic universities in 바카라사이트 world, and it¡¯s important for us to be able to have our doors open to that community [of students from a faith background]. It's a comparative advantage and a USP that international students would find attractive.¡±

Under 바카라사이트 new strategy, St Mary¡¯s is looking to boost its proportion of non-UK students to 25 per cent by 2025. It currently has about 5 per cent non-UK students.

However, Mr Campbell stressed that this plan was not about boosting income.

¡°There¡¯s not a huge discrepancy between 바카라사이트 fees we charge domestic and international students, it¡¯s back to 바카라사이트 international roots of 바카라사이트 university, back to 바카라사이트 fact that we see universities as things that transcend regional, national, cultural borders,¡± he said.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

After 바카라사이트 interview for this article, Mr Campbell spoke to us on camera