education & business
If Brexit means fewer EU students and graduates it’s not just universities who will count the cost
Professor Graham Baldwin, vice-chancellor of Southampton Solent University, reflects on the wider impact of a loss of EU students and graduates
“It’s no secret that universities across the UK are bracing themselves for Brexit. Student and staff recruitment is already becoming more difficult, cuts are expected to appear in EU research and funding, and the flow of EU students, who have been the fastest growing proportion of young undergraduates in recent years, is set to reduce.
“Here at Solent our concerns are no different. We’re proud to be an inclusive and diverse university, currently with more than 1,000 students and 100 members of staff from across Europe. We have a long history of working in the EU and have benefited greatly from strong partnerships over the years.
“I believe any reduction in our recruitment of EU students would be a significant blow, hugely reducing diversity, delivering financial consequences and seriously affecting our ability to compete with more inclusive universities across Europe.
“However, in addition to the impact on us as an institution, I am also concerned about the wider effect on business and industry, both in the city of Southampton and the wider region.
“Solent provides industry-focused courses resulting in highly employable graduates, and our strong local ties mean we are heavily involved in the cultural development of the region. Our EU students alone contribute around £12 million a year to the local economy and over half of our EU graduates are employed in the Solent LEP region once they have completed their studies.
“It is clear to me that, post-Brexit, businesses must be able to continue to rely on us, and other universities, to deliver on the productivity agenda, meet the demand for knowledge and innovation and provide companies with skilled and experienced graduates who can fulfil the jobs of the future.
“In light of this, and as part of our commitment as a university to being part of the response to Brexit, I have recently contributed to the Education Select Committee’s inquiry into ‘the impact of exiting the European Union on higher education.
“In addition to calling for clarity on the potential impact on our staff, a recognition of the implicit value of EU projects and guarantees around the loss of EU funding opportunities, I drew attention to several examples of how our EU links make us an attractive proposition to students, and highlighted their importance to the local community and to wider fields of work.
“The first of these was our work within the UK maritime sector, an area which contributed £9.9 billion to UK GDP in 2015 and has a particular level of relevance for the Solent region. The maritime courses we provide are ranked among the best in the world; we work alongside key industry employers and our students and academics contribute to significant and ongoing industry research.
“One of these research projects is our role in a partnership led by the Swedish Maritime Association, which has the potential to
overcome many of the challenges of communication and information sharing between stakeholders in the maritime transport industry, locally and across the world, and create significant business value as a result.
“I also drew attention to the work of our School of Art, Design and Fashion, collaborating closely with local and European partners from education, commerce and local government on a range of real world projects, boosting employability in Southampton and contributing to the £84 billion the creative industries bring to the UK economy each year.
“It is clear to me that although the coming months will be challenging, they need not be catastrophic.
“We all need to make sure we are open to embracing new opportunities, and can do this best by utilising the partnerships we have and keep looking at the bigger picture.
“What impacts one sector will impact us all. One area speaking up will amplify the voices of others, and by working together I am convinced we can find a positive way forward in our post-Brexit society.”
Professor Graham Baldwin
graham.baldwin@
solent.ac.uk solent.ac.uk
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH COAST – DECEMBER 16/JANUARY 17
businessmag.co.uk
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