Scholars more likely to leave UK post-Brexit

Fear of a “brain drain” in UK higher education persists as a University and College Union (UCU) survey has shown that two-fifths of university scholars are more likely to leave the UK in the aftermath of Brexit.

Three-quarters of continental EU academics in the country along with 40% of UK academics stated that they would consider leaving. 1,000 lecturers and professors in UK higher education participated in the survey.

42% said they were also more likely to leave Britain after it has left the European Union. For non-UK EU academics this increased to 76% who said they were likely to leave. 29% of surveyors said they knew of academics leaving the UK already.

But it is not only a right to stay in the country, or how the Leave and Remain campaigns were conducted, that brought on concern. 44% of respondents said they knew of academics who lost access to research funding because of Brexit. This includes UK scientists reportedly being dropped from EU projects in the last year because of fear of post-Brexit funding.

An alarming 90% of respondents said that they thought the referendum would have a negative impact on higher education in the UK.

The results of the survey proved that there are still apprehensions regarding the security of EU intellectuals in UK universities.

Maya Kokerov, a first-year Philosophy and Literature student, said: “This is yet another unpleasant and unforeseen consequence of Brexit, but the present situation can and should be salvaged to avoid even greater problems in the UK.”

Peter Dunn, Director of Press and Policy for the University, said: “While we have not yet seen a specific impact in terms of staff’s decisions on where they will choose to work in the future, this clearly remains an area of significant concern.”

Vice Chancellor Stuart Croft has previously said in a statement: “Our European staff are an important, valued, part of our community, and I intend to make the case wherever I can that such staff are incredibly valuable to UK HE (Higher Education), and should not be disadvantaged in the new world.”