Why UK universities are stronger in Europe
Despite speculation from both sides, nobody can say for certain what a UK outside of the EU would look like. What we do know, however, is that the EU has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on UK universities, supporting them to pursue ground-breaking research, drive local growth, and transform people’s lives. While UK universities may not need the EU to survive, it plays an important role in allowing them to thrive: even the briefest overview of how the EU benefits university research and helps to position the UK as an attractive destination for talent demonstrates how short-sighted it would be to put all this at risk.
The Benefits of European Research Funding
UK universities do extraordinarily well at accessing EU funding, securing just under €7bn of support for research between 2007-2013, and over 20% of European Research Council grants. This represents a significant, and growing, proportion of universities’ research income.
However, the benefits of the EU for universities extend far beyond the money. By incentivising and supporting collaboration, the EU enables us to work at the scale necessary to compete on a global stage. Researchers can more easily pool their knowledge, infrastructure and resources in order to achieve more together than they could do alone. For example, the IDEAL consortium , based at the University of Southampton, researches how early life conditions can affect our health in later life. Project lead Professor Hanson estimates that collaborating with European partners has meant the project will be completed in 5 years, where it would have taken 15 years for UK researchers working alone.
Attracting Talent
In addition to the contribution of the EU to the UK’s research base, the EU supports the UK as an open and vibrant destination for global talent. Around 15% of academic staff at UK universities and 5% of students are from other European countries. These people have a profound and positive impact on the UK’s cultural and intellectual life, internationalising our campuses, enhancing university teaching and the impact and quality of research. They also play a major role in supporting UK universities’ contribution to jobs and local economic growth. In 2012-13 alone, EU students at UK universities generated £2.7 billion for the economy and an estimated 19,000 jobs. Many also progress to leadership positions in their home countries, with a positive effect for the UK’s business and diplomatic relationships in the longer term.
Uncertainty of Brexit
Those advocating for Brexit argue that UK universities could retain all these benefits without membership of the EU. This is a dangerous assumption to make. There is no precedent for a country leaving the EU and no guarantee the UK could pick and choose when it comes to the continued participation in EU funding programmes. We also know from universities’ ongoing struggles with the UK visa regime, that any limits placed on freedom of movement could cause major difficulties for our global universities. Leaving the EU and putting up barriers to work and study makes it more likely that European students and researchers will choose to go elsewhere.
Taking a Stance
The day after the EU referendum date was announced, 103 UK Vice-Chancellors, including Professor Sir Christopher Snowden, VC at Southampton, signed a letter highlighting how the EU enhanced universities’ positive impact on British society and the economy. In the coming months, Universities UK and Vice-Chancellors will continue to inform the debate through arguments and evidence on campus and beyond. Our world-class universities can certainly survive on their own, but why would we choose to isolate ourselves, in an age where working internationally is fundamental to success?
Nicola Dandridge
Nicola has been Chief Executive of Universities UK since September 2009. Prior to joining UUK, Nicola was Chief Executive of the Equality Challenge Unit, the higher education agency which promotes equality and diversity for staff and students in higher education. She was previously a lawyer, specialising in equality and employment law.
