According to data brought to light by the Independent today, 'more than 2,300 EU academics have resigned from British universities over the past year amid concerns over a “Brexodus” of top talent in higher education'.
In 'written evidence' submitted to the House of Lords' EU Justice Sub-Committee, the Britain in Europe think tank raises concern about the impact of Brexit on the ability to retain non-UK EU academics in UK higher education.
Prof Andrew George, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Brunel University London, states in the written evidence:
"If the rights of existing non-UK EU staff are not guaranteed this would have a disastrous impact. Some academics may be forced to leave the UK and return to the EU if they have not established residency rights. Even those staff who have right of residence and work in the UK (or who are given that right as a result of their high value to the UK) are likely to feel unwelcome and unwanted and may leave (something that is likely to be exacerbated by any reduction in access to EU research collaborations)."
The written evidence is submitted to the House of Lords’ EU Justice Sub-Committee as a follow up to oral evidence presented by the director of the Britain in Europe (BiE) think tank, Dr Dimitrios Giannoulopoulos, at the House of Lords’ EU Justice Sub-Committee hearing on EU citizens’ rights on 31st October 2017.
The written evidence can be accessed in its entirety here.