MOSCOW (Sputnik), Anastasia Dmitrieva and Daria Chernyshova — The United Kingdom is getting ever closer to the much-anticipated June 23 national referendum on its membership of the bloc, which has united the majority of UK academics and educators behind staying in the European Union.
One Billion Pounds of Reserch Grants at Stake
In 2015, the United Kingdom received 967 million pounds (almost $1.5 billion) in research funding through the European Research Council (ERC) and other EU bodies responsible for funding the scientific and technological research carried out within the European Union, according to the technology company Digital Science estimates.
"The Russell Group universities (the 24 most distinguished in the UK) are worried about Brexit because they receive over half-a-billion pounds from the European Union every year," Toby Young, an educationalist and co-founder of the West London Free School, told Sputnik.
UK universities receive somewhere between 10 and 25 percent of their total funding as a direct result of the country’s EU membership, which is why academics are worried about possible cuts to UK scientific research in the event of Brexit.
"Brexit is a huge potential risk for UK research. Around 10% of UK research funding comes from the EU and, depending on the arrangements reached after a vote to leave, it is very likely that British R&D [research and development] would receive a funding cut," Dr. Andrew Steele of Scienceogram UK told Sputnik.
Although the United Kingdom is one of top recipients of EU research funding — only surpassed by Germany — it may still qualify for some of these grants even post-Brexit, as many non-EU countries participate in EU science programs, such as Norway, Turkey, Iceland, Serbia and Israel through the European Research Area structure.
"British Universities in general are worried about receiving less research funding from the EU, but plenty of that funding goes to countries outside the EU – Israel, for instance – so there’s no reason to think that would be affected by a vote to leave," Young affirmed.
"If the UK restricts freedom of movement (which seems likely given the current political climate), it will lose almost all access to H2020 programmes – not only does this reduce direct access to grant funding, but it also prevents UK scientists from leading international collaborations, as most of these in the EU are facilitated through H2020," Dr. Claire Skentelbery, who runs two European scientific networks, the Council of European BioRegions and the European Biotechnology Network, explained to Sputnik.
Such was the case with Switzerland, which was unable to ratify a free movement accord with Croatia after a popular vote in 2014 limiting mass migration and subsequently dropped out of Horizon 2020. The country had to urgently organize academic funding at a national level and negotiate partial access to H2020, which is due to expire by the end of 2016, when Switzerland must either ratify the Croatia treaty or be suspended from H2020.
Still, it is hard to imagine that the United Kingdom would not be part of such great projects as the European Space Agency or other ventures sponsored not by ERC but through their own charitable funds, like the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer.
Moreover, the country’s annual contribution to the EU budget, which amounted to some $19 million in 2015, could, in theory, be relocated within the United Kingdom to expand national research funding, among other needs.
"Given that the UK is a net contributor to the EU budget to the tune of £10 billion a year, a post-Brexit UK government could replace that funding and still be better off," Young argued.
In general, the future of such EU-derived research funding for UK universities would rest on the type of deal London manages to strike with the bloc in a post-Brexit scenario. Nevertheless, all existing contracts and current projects will be completed, providing the British government with additional time to conduct negotiations and secure better terms for the country’s interests.
"If the UK is suspended from H2020, all existing contracts will be completed but no new applications could be made," Skentelbery confirmed.
Increase in Fees to Deter EU Students
"EU students currently pay the same fees as UK students, as they are treated as ‘home’ students. The impact on fees for EU students is likely to depend on the type of deal that is negotiated and for this we would have 2 years. If no deal is reached, then EU students could be treated as international and hence may pay much higher fees than their UK counterparts," Elizabeth Jones, director of undergraduate studies at the University of Warwick, explained to Sputnik.
For example, the tuition fee for home or EU students undertaking their first undergraduate degree at the University of Oxford amounts to some $13,264 a year. However, international students from outside the European Union are paying up to $33,000 a year for the same program, out of most people’s price range.
“The decline has started… Despite London’s status as the world’s global city, for example, students increasingly see it as unaffordable. They will go to locations which give a warmer welcome, where they can pay their way, and where they have the chance to work, post qualification,” Dean of GISMA Business School Dr. Steve Priddy warned.
The drop in EU students would undoubtedly affect the UK economy, as a total of 124,575 EU students studying in 2014-15 in the United Kingdom generated roughly $5.25 billion and supported over 34,000 jobs within the country, according to Universities UK estimates.
“We are better able to collaborate with the best minds from across Europe to carry out cutting edge research that leads to innovations and discoveries that boost our economy, create new jobs and improve people’s lives,” Dame Julia Goodfellow, president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of the University of Kent, told Sputnik.
Although a shortfall in EU students may occur, it could be compensated for by the higher fees paid by those Europeans who will still choose to study in UK universities. Additionally, an exit from the bloc may bring equality in terms of treating international and EU students in the same way.
“If we were to leave… it may create more spaces for UK students to study at the top institutions,” Elizabeth Jones added.
Brexit to Limit Working Rights of Academics
According to the Universities UK advocacy organization, 15 percent of academic staff at UK universities come from other EU countries, which poses the question about their working rights in the event of Brexit.
“Some people are concerned about it becoming more difficult for academics in the remainder of the EU to be able to work at British universities post-Brexit because they’ll require visas and that may have a small impact on the composition of departmental staff,” Young noted.
However, this would also result in academics from outside the bloc, who prevail in numbers, finding it easier to get visas, he added.
In any case, negotiations held after a vote to leave will be decisive regarding this issue.
“The deal negotiated will also affect EU researchers/teachers and how easy it would be for them to work in UK higher education institutions,” Jones added.
Moreover, the United Kingdom leaving the European Union would also cause complications for EU students, who might suddenly require study visas and have limited to no working rights during their studies and post-graduation.
“In the wake of a Brexit vote and tightening of the UK border even further, international students can rationally be expected to look elsewhere for English language delivered programmes in countries such as Canada, Australia and the US who have been positioning themselves to exploit the UK’s more restrictive requirements,” Dr. Steve Priddy warned.
Still, it is unclear if these difficulties will actually emerge, as facilitating cooperation with the bloc will be one of London’s top priorities, given that research with international partners has nearly 50 percent more impact than research done nationally, according to Universities UK.
“There’s no reason to suppose visa-free travel for students in both directions will end, or that EU nationals will no longer have access to UK student loans. It’s in everyone’s interests to maintain a mutually beneficial arrangement,” Young suggested.
Nevertheless, the British government will have to work hard to uphold the caliber of scientists and the resulting research in the event of Brexit.
Quality of UK Education to Remain Unchanged
“The loss of collaboration and international scientific leadership will have a negative effect on the quality of scientists working within the UK. Ambitious scientists will leave the UK for countries where they can engage in EU programmes to progress their career and non-UK scientists will look elsewhere for opportunities,” Dr Claire Skentelbery argued.
However, the United Kingdom’s education system is historically of such a high quality, that it can survive the initial shock and negative effect post-Brexit.
“Britain currently has three of the world’s top 10 universities, while the rest of the EU has only one and I don’t see that changing. It was true before we joined the EEC in 1973,” the West London Free School founder noted.
Moreover, the United States currently has six universities in the top 10 rankings and is not part of the European Union, he added.
A vote to exit the bloc will undoubtedly shake up the UK higher education system, but the overall impact may be assessed only after the London strikes a deal with Brussels post-Brexit and reallocates its annual contribution to the EU budget to national sectors most affected by the decision to leave.
