The survey from Hubson (cited in Dennis, 2016) demonstrates that Brexitreferendum has made the UK less attractive for 82% of students from EuropeanUnion countries.
In fact, since the UK has voted the Brexit the 23rd June 2016(MacDonald, 2017), the future of UK universities is at stake. Erasmus studentswonder if they are still welcome or not in the UK. The Higher Education fromthe UK has benefited from advantages of being part of the EU. However, Brexitwill have an impact on these institutions (Henley & Slaney, 2017). How will the UK face the challenge of Brexit in the High Education andresearch sectors?On one hand, the UK benefits from many advantages of being part of theEU for the student mobility, the High Education and the research but the Brexitwill impact these sectors. Thus the alternatives for the UK after Brexit needto be thought, even if the UK will face problems.
First, the United Kingdom has been involved in the Erasmus programmesince 1987, when it has been created. 3,000,000 students and more havetravelled around the EU (McCutcheon, 2016). This is a real success. Erasmus +provides a connection between European countries in terms of education andstudents. The programme allows sharing cultural incentive during a mobility(MacDonald, 2017). Besides, students from the Erasmus Programme have betterchances to work abroad (McCutcheon, 2016).In 2016, 86,588 people were involved in the Erasmus + Programme in theHigh Education in the United Kingdom and around 10% of them were staff(MacDonald, 2017). Ken Mayhew (2017) explains that students from Europeancountries chose the UK even if it is more expensive than other countries fromEurope.
In fact, the UK is part of the top of destination on the Erasmusprogramme (Henley & Slaney, 2017). However, if they have to pay all thefees of international students they might not come. Besides, EU students untilnow didn’t have to pay for a visa as the non-EU students, but with the Brexit,they would have to (Ken Mayhew, 2017). In fact, Europe made the UK moreattractive because of the freedom of movement principle existing between EUcountries (Henley & Slaney, 2017).
MacDonald (2017) says the UK High Education is strong. Universities UK(cited in MacDonald, 2017) demonstrates that the competitiveness ofuniversities from the country is really high. These universities are wellranking according to Henley & Slaney (2017). They have a good impact on the economic growth of the UK and they arereally good at research internationally which make them attractive for students(MacDonald, 2017).Besides, in relation with the Erasmus Programme, the report “Educationat a Glance” from the OECD, (cited in Anne Corbett, 2015) explains thatnowadays being employable do not depends just on the ability of student to makethe job but it depends also on soft skills which are linked to the personalexperience.
Studying abroad makes students more employable. (Anne Corbett,2015) Being part of the EU brings lots of advantages for research andmobility.In fact, according to (MacDonald, 2017), a “Strategic Partnership” hasbeen built through the membership of the EU countries. The aim is to coordinatethe High Education system so that European countries can work together. Peoplefrom European countries become international which makes universities andeducation even more diversified and cross-cultural.
MacDonald (2017) also speaks about “Knowledge Alliances” which provideto the European High Education the opportunity to build projects together(education, innovation, knowledge) and reinforce the relationship of thecountries (Henley & Slaney, 2017). The funding support from the EU is fundamental for the growth of thelabour market in the UK but also for the research and universities. Accordingto Henley & Slaney (2017). Europe provided an amazing support to the UK. The EU provides to the UK the funding for the research in science andinvention.
But also, as said before, it makes the UK more attractive forstudents (Anne Corbett, 2015).The European community of science proves that the EU makes the researchmore effective because it makes in contact all Scientifics of EU to achieve bigsciences research (Anne Corbett, 2015).Corbett (2015) and Henley & Slaney (2017) explain that Horizon 2020has connected countries of Europe to improve the science research andinnovation which has been really good for the UK.
The vote of Brexit has impacted the UK: student, high education,research…MacDonald (2017) exposes the fact that students said not to vote forBrexit. However, Brexit has been voted and students and High Education are themost impacted by this measure.In fact, this decision affects student by decreasing the chance for themto go abroad in the EU for their studies (MacDonald, 2017). By being out of theEU, students and staffs from Europe will not have as many favourablecircumstances as before without the Brexit and its free movement principle(MacDonald, 2017). McCutcheon (2016) exposes that studying abroad andunderstand another culture is important for the future of students, in a worldeven more international (Anne Corbett, 2015).Besides, this vote will impact the migration, with a reduction of it,and the UK government wants to take into account students as migrants. And KenMayhew (2017) tells they are 30% of all the migrants.
While the otherconsequences will be a lack of funding provided by EU to help students to go inErasmus and the probability of being rejected from the hub created by EUcountries for research and share of knowledge (MacDonald, 2017). In fact,MacDonald (2017) exposes the amount of money that the UK will need to supportits high education, students, staffs and research: €129 million. High Education from the UK will be impacted because EU will not providefunding for students and will not support the research and innovation(McCutcheon, 2016). That is why it is important to think about what are thealternatives for the UK to support these sectors (Anne Corbett, 2015).
Building alternatives are the first step for the UK after the vote ofBrexit. However, MacDonald (2017) says that this will cost a lot of money andthe government needs to negotiate with the EU the conservation of advantagesHigh Education and research. The same author argues that to maintain itsposition the UK need to continue to negotiate to remain in EU projects asErasmus and Horizon 2020. The negotiations with the EU will be based on the principle of freemovement which is one of the conditions to remain in the Erasmus Programme(McCutcheon, 2016).
Switzerland can be an example for the UK. In fact, the country inFebruary 2014 has voted for less immigration in its country and to give up theprinciple of free movement. In consequence, the EU had decided to removeSwitzerland from the Big Science Programme (Henley & Slaney, 2017). The UK government needs to know if, after the Brexit, the country willfind alternatives to continue with the EU or will go out completely and buildnew relationships with the world (John Kirkland, 2017).In fact, the government can whether think about continue the freedom ofmovement with the EU or not. In this case, the only alternative for the UK tokeep the advantage of providing mobility to the students will be to create itsown mobility programme (Henley & Slaney, 2017).
John Kirkland (2017)insists on the fact that building a new relationship will need to be affordableby all the students and staffs and not only to an elite. As an alternative for the UK, building new relationships with Anglophonecountries can be easy (Anne Corbett, 2015). John Kirkland (2017) shows thepossibility of a rapprochement with the Commonwealth. The UK has some alternatives.
However, John Kirkland (2017), explainsthat being closer to Anglophone countries can be difficult. In fact, Australiawould prefer close links with China for its innovation competencies. Besides,the Brexit vote pushed Canada and Mexico to remove the need for a visa to studyin these two countries so that it is easier for students to go there(Marguerite, 2016). And Marguerite (2016) announced an increase ofattractiveness from emergent countries.
The exclusion of The UK from the Erasmus programme will have an impacton others (McCutcheon, 2016). First, students looking for Anglophone countrieswill fall back on Ireland, but this country will not be able to welcome thisamount of students. That is why, they will go to the USA, Canada, Ireland,Scotland or Australia for those who have the mean (McCutcheon, 2016). To conclude, the consequences of Brexit on the UK economy and HighEducation sector will be important. Even if alternatives exist for the UK, itis hard to keep the same level of advantages. For now, the National Agency forErasmus + continues to negotiate and the funding will continue to be provideduntil 2020, but with the government statement: “nothing is agreed untileverything is agreed” (ERASMUS +, 2017).
