Heartbreak, dismay, disappointment. Just some of the words that academics are using to express themselves with after the British public decided that the United Kingdom would not remain in the Europe Union. Universities are now saying they anticipate considerable changes in the future of studies in engineering and science.
When the referendum’s results were announced the Institution of Engineering and Technology immediately demanded discussions be held to measure what kind of damage a Brexit will have on the engineering industries. The group says the vote comes at an inconvenient time due to the shortage of engineers the country has. They say the vote will impair the economy
According to a poll, the publication The Independent ran, 56 percent of students believed that leaving the EU would lead to “detrimental effects” on career prospects in the country. What academics are worried about is the loss of the European Union research funding. £687 million ($907 million) is made available for research and a lot of that is used for engineering and science research and innovation.
President of Universities UK, Julia Goodfellow said: “‘Leaving the EU will create significant challenges for universities. Although this is not an outcome that we wished or campaigned for, we respect the decision of the UK electorate. We should remember that leaving the EU will not happen overnight – there will be a gradual exit process with significant opportunities to seek assurances and influence future policy.
However, Patrick Flaherty, Chief Executive of AECOM UK said that due to the fact that no nation has ever left the EU before, the long-term impact couldn’t be measured as of yet.
However, students are anxious about what the Brexit means for the high-ranking British universities. Five percent of students in the UK are from EU territories, and the exit could have implications for them, depending on what politicians decide about immigrating students. Universities UK wants to ensure that EU student exchange stays in place.
“Our first priority will be to convince the UK Government to take steps to ensure that staff and students from EU countries can continue to work and study at British universities in the long term, and to promote the UK as a welcoming destination for the brightest and best minds. They make a powerful contribution to university research and teaching and have a positive impact on the British economy and society. We will also prioritise securing opportunities for our researchers and students to access vital pan-European programmes and build new global networks,” Goodfellow concluded, in her statement after the Brexit results were published.
Source: Universities UK