A report published by the Education Committee highlights the need for the Government to provide guarantees to university staff from the EU and design a new immigration system that better meets the needs of higher education in the wake of Brexit.

As UK universities rank among the best and produce highly-regarded research, making them attractive to international students and staff, Brexit has created significant uncertainty. While the Government’s negotiations with the EU are just now beginning, the Education Committee says there is a risk that Brexit will damage the international competitiveness and long-term success of UK universities.

“Higher education in the UK is a world leader but Brexit risks damaging our international competitiveness and the long-term success of our universities. It’s welcome that EU students have been given some guarantees on their funding and loan access but the Government must act urgently to address the uncertainty over EU staff  and avert the risk of a damaging ‘brain drain’ of talent from our shores. As we leave the European Union we now have the opportunity to reform our immigration system to ensure we reap the full rewards of the ability of our universities to attract the brightest and best students and staff from across the world,” Neil Carmichael MP, Chair of the Education Committee, said.

One of the first points in the report ‘Exiting the EU: challenges and opportunities for higher education’ asks the Department for Education, in co-operation with the Home Office and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to publish a contingency plan for higher education to prepare for a ‘no deal’ situation. According to the committee, this plan should set out clear proposals to ensure potential risks are mitigated.

“The prospect of ‘no deal’ with the EU creates serious uncertainties for the higher education sector in terms of residency, immigration, collaboration and membership of EU programmes. Universities need time to plan. The higher education sector cannot stand still in the two year negotiating period, with no understanding of what the future might look like, without jeopardising its global success. Given ‘no deal’ is both possible and could have serious consequences for higher education, the Government will need to consider contingencies or it will be failing in its duty to protect the sector,” the Education Committee noted.

How students and staff can escape unscathed from Brexit

The report highlights a series of recommendations for the UK Government in the wake of Brexit, in order to keep both international students and staff safe from consequences of the withdrawl from the European Union via Article 50. As such, the committee recommends the Government guarantees home rate fees and access to tuition fee loans for EU undergraduate students starting in England in the academic year 2018/19 well in advance of the early deadline for course applications. Also, the status of postgraduate students should also be clarified as it will create some immediate stability during the negotiations, according to the committee members.

They also note that the higher education sector should be given enough notice of any changes to the migration status of EU students, their fee rate and access to loans. The report recommends that the Government ensures sufficient time for universities and others in the higher education sector to adjust and plan ahead, while also ensuring that changes to fees or loans do not occur midway through a student’s course.

Committee members say they believe the best model for EU students is to retain a reciprocal open approach with light touch controls, such as visa-free access, which would enable preservation of a system closely resembling freedom of movement. They recommend the Government takes this open approach with all international students if it is serious in its desire for the UK to remain a global leader in higher education.

The report also notes that international students should be removed from the net migration target and that the Government’s refusal to do so would be putting at risk the higher education sector’s share of the international student market.

“Removing international students from the target would be a simple way to offset some of the risks from leaving the European Union. For domestic policy purposes, these students could be recorded under a separate classification and not be counted against the overall limit. The Office for Students should monitor and report on the overall trends of international student recruitment. The Government should continue to improve its data recording, prioritising exit check data,” members noted in their recommendations.

Regarding the rights of EU higher education staff to work and reside in the UK, the report highlights the need to for them to be guaranteed as soon as possible. The Education Committee says the Government has rightly identified the agreement of the rights of EU nationals as its first priority in the negotiations but says a delay in confirming these rights will only intensify the current uncertainty for universities, and likely lead to a significant ‘brain drain’ in talented staff. Committee members note that the Government must be prepared to unilaterally agree the rights of EU nationals before the end of 2017 if a reciprocal deal is not agreed before then.

The UK Government is also urged to keep in mind the requirements of higher education when reforming the immigration system after Brexit, as it will need to facilitate, rather than inhibit, the movement of people in and out of our universities. Committee members warn that otherwise, continued academic collaboration and the sector’s international competitiveness will be at risk.

Finally, the Education Committee recommends a new visa for all highly-skilled academics, more liberal than the Tier 2 route, with a lower salary threshold and a separate, higher cap, as well as lower bureaucratic burdens and costs. This new approach would show the Government was serious in its aim to bring in the best from around the world and encourage collaboration, the report notes.

How Brexit will affect EU programmes and funding

Access to future EU funding programmes, as well as continued access to Horizon 2020 and other EU research funding should be a priority for the UK Government, the report shows. Also, committee members highlight the fact that the best outcome for the UK is a continued membership of Erasmus+, a programme the Government should consider as a priority its negotiations with the EU.

“If this proves impossible, it is vital that the mobility of students and staff is not impeded. The Government should guarantee it will underwrite any Erasmus+ placements potentially under threat in 2019. A replacement mobility programme will need to be drawn up at an early stage so it is ready to begin for the 2019/20 academic year. This replacement could focus on a wider net of countries around the world as long as it safeguards support for disadvantaged groups,” members of the Education Committee say.

They recommend that as a replacement to investment from European Structural and Investment Funds the Government establishes a new regional growth fund which allocates funding on a similar needs-based system.

Brexit can also be an opportunity

The Education Committee report also notes that the uncertainty over the future availability of EU research funds and the creation of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – a body that will oversee the distribution of £6bn of research funding annually – means this is a golden opportunity to re-evaluate allocation of domestic funding. Also, committee members say Brexit can help universities reach their global ambitions, if they are represented in upcoming trade agreements with countries around the world.

The Department for International Trade, in partnership with the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Energy and the Industrial Strategy, should develop a cross-Government strategy for international research and higher education, the report shows.

Also, committee members recommend the Government pursues bold new collaborations with major research countries such as the USA, prioritising nations where relationships are already well-developed, as well as investing additional resources into existing efforts such as the Global Challenges Fund and the Newton Fund.

The Education Committee members say that by following the steps they recommend, the Government will ensure that higher education can deal with the challenges of leaving the EU and be in position to take advantage of local and global opportunities.