Call to protect universities and colleges in Scotland from Brexit
Prime Minister Theresa May has been urged to provide greater clarity on the impact Brexit will have after the UK leaves the EU.
The Scottish Government has joined with higher education institutions and trade unions in a call to protect colleges and universities after Brexit.
In a joint statement, they said that leaving the EU would create “major issues” for higher education in Scotland, significantly impacting staff and students.
They also urged the UK Government to provide clarity on how leaving the EU, with or without a deal, could change funding and learning opportunities currently on offer.
Scotland has proportionally more EU staff and students than the rest of the UK, with around 9% of all 241,935 university students who enrolled in Scotland in 2016-17 from EU countries.
EU nationals accounted for more than 75,000 college enrolments between 2012 and 2017.
SNP MSP Richard Lochhead said: “Brexit is the single biggest risk to our colleges and universities, threatening the ability to attract and retain EU staff and students and continue vital research.
“I welcome this joint statement which, amid the current chaos, sends a clear, powerful message that colleges and universities will use their collective influence to press for much needed answers from the UK Government.
“We will also work to retain our historic links with our European partners and ensure they are in no doubt that Scotland continues to welcome EU citizens to study or work here.”
Professor Andrea Nolan, Universities Scotland, said: “People have been top of our Brexit priorities since the referendum result came through.
“That’s still the case, whether the UK Government gets a deal or not.
“As Brexit reaches the final stages it is really important we continue to emphasise how much our staff and students matter to us and repeat the message that we’ll keep working to secure the earliest guarantees of their rights.
“Europe is such an important partner for Scottish higher education and we want to secure the best possible ongoing relationship, whatever the outcome from Brexit.
“These relationships are central to the excellence of our higher education, bringing mutual and wider benefit to Scotland’s society and economy.”
Ken Milroy, Colleges Scotland, added: “We welcome the united approach from Scotland’s tertiary education sector as the UK’s withdrawal from the EU approaches.
“Collectively, we all share the same concerns and it is important that we continue to work closely together to mitigate the effects that Brexit will have on Scottish institutions, staff, students and the wider economy.
“The college sector is eager to ensure that whilst leaving the EU, we contribute to economic and individual prosperity by continuing to deliver high-quality and effective education and training to grow and maintain the skilled workforce required to increase Scotland’s productivity.”
