The largest group of foreign students at the UK’s excellent universities are from the EU, or at least they are at the moment. But apparently applications to study in the UK from the EU have fallen by 40%, from 43,000 a year to 26,000.
It seems the UK is not just as welcoming as it was; surprise, surprise. The UK used to be a visa free, english speaking destination with attractive fees and with the chance to stay and work after university.
Well that is gone and on top of that even the rhetoric and political posturing makes the UK a less attractive destination. Even if you are a Brexit ultra, who thinks that keeping some of the very best and brightest EU students out of the UK job market is a good idea, and it isn’t, the price is a massive hit to the Higher Education sector. Universities in the UK make a great deal of money out of foreign students, where is that money going to come from now?
The long term hit is obviously massive as well, what makes the UK university sector so successful is the ability to attract the very best students and staff from anywhere. If students won’t study in the UK, they can’t stay to become teachers and researchers themselves and if the sector is less attractive to students the same is probably true for staff.
With all its other problems universities need this like a hole in the head, but the ability to attract EU students has largely been taken out of their hands.
https://jonty.substack.com/
The EU may be the largest group but not the only group! The last I heard we remain an English speaking destination and whilst the French may want to migrate World trade to being done in French it is doubtful it will be totally successful so there remains a need to learn English across Europe.
The long term hit is NOT obviously massive, but there does appear to be a short term one until the news media tones down the war of words.
A bit like Prince Philips funeral we do pageant extremely well and that will gradually lure the students back to this quaint little island once the rhetoric calms down.
It isn't helpful that one country threatens the UK with World War 3 but the University students still come from there.