XHE0104
Written evidence submitted by Newcastle University
Executive Summary
0.1. Newcastle University is one of the UK’s leading universities and a member of the Russell Group. It ranked 16th in the UK for global research power (REF 2014) and is ranked 22nd overall in The Sunday Times 2017 Good University Guide, ranking 12th for student experience and 15th for graduate prospects. The University offers almost 200 undergraduate degrees and postgraduate programmes.
0.2. Newcastle University is home to over 23,500 students from more than 130 different countries. It has the 19th largest international student population in the UK, 15% of whom are from the EU.
0.3. The University contributes almost £1 billion towards the local economy and is one of the largest employers in the city of Newcastle, with more than 5,500 staff. This includes over 600 staff from EU countries, more than a third of whom work in our world class Medical School where they represent almost 15% of total staff.
0.4. A number of Newcastle’s leading research centres would not be possible without the involvement of EU staff. For instance, the Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre is led by a German Professor; and at the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre team, which is pioneering treatments for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, more than 30% of staff are European and four of its lead academics are from the EU. [See Appendix 2 for more information on these Research Centres.]
0.5. The UK’s decision to exit the EU will have a significant impact on Newcastle University, and we welcome the opportunity to contribute to the Committee’s inquiry. [The University has also submitted evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee’s inquiry on Leaving the EU: Implications and Opportunities for Science and Research, which complements the points made below.]
1.1. There is likely to be a decrease in the number of EU students studying in England as a result of the UK exiting the EU. The initial UCAS application data nationally for courses starting in 2017 shows a 9% drop in EU student numbers, reversing the previous upward trend. If this decline continues, or accelerates, we expect to see a decline in our and other UK universities’ income levels.
1.2. Part of the reason for the expected decline is that EU students fear that they will not be able to access the loan system at either undergraduate or postgraduate level after 2018 (assuming the UK comes out of the EU in 2019). Universities may also have to charge EU students international fees, as opposed to home fees, which will push the cost for most up into the £15,000 range. Therefore EU students are likely to choose to study cheaper courses elsewhere.
2.1. Since wandering scholars commuted between Bologna, Paris and Oxford in medieval days, universities have always had an international dimension, and EU students and staff are an essential part of the UK academic community. The Government needs to ensure that retention of, and access to, this talent continues uninterrupted after exiting the EU, through free movement of people. This will allow the UK to benefit fully from interactions with the EU community that enrich the country’s knowledge and skills.
2.2. The Government should guarantee that existing EU students (including those entering in 2017) will not be affected by any immigration changes that occur for the duration of their course, some of which will go beyond 2019. These students have chosen to make the UK their home for their career of learning when they could have chosen to go anywhere, and so we should ensure they are able to stay and fulfil their potential here.
2.3. Similarly, any future immigration policy must only be applied to new migrants and not applied retrospectively to those EU staff already living and working here. These individuals have chosen to build a life and a career in the UK – they are emotionally and economically attached to the country and devote their time and money to its success – and it benefits only the UK’s competitors for them to leave and take those resources elsewhere.
2.4. For EU staff, the residency process should be simplified to ensure employees wanting and eligible to stay after 2019 are able to do so. We have seen Newcastle staff struggle to navigate the current laborious and bureaucratic process of residency. Urgent reform is needed to ensure a simple, light touch system.
3.1. One of the primary roles of a university is to produce globally-minded graduates who are ready to enter an increasingly international workforce. Erasmus+ has brought enormous benefits for Newcastle and many other UK universities in terms of cultural exchanges, diversity and internationalisation. The Government should make every effort to remain part of the programme after the UK leaves the EU.
3.2. Last year, over 246 Newcastle students from 22 subjects went on Erasmus placements, and the University is currently host to 218 incoming EU Erasmus students studying a range of subjects and enriching the cultural diversity of our students. Any withdrawal from the programme would lead to an impoverished learning experience and reduced employability for all students.
3.3. Erasmus+ makes it possible for UK students to study and work abroad by offsetting some of the additional costs of those placements through a mobility grant. This reduces the financial and administrative barriers for students wanting to integrate an international placement into a degree.
3.4. The European Commission's Erasmus Impact Study found that Erasmus students have better employability skills after a stay abroad than 70% of all students. Former Erasmus students are half as likely to experience long-term unemployment compared to those that do not go abroad, and 44% less likely to hold non-managerial positions 10 years after graduation. In addition, 64% of employers now consider an international experience important for recruitment (up from 37% in 2006), with such hires given more responsibility earlier.
3.5. Any withdrawal from the Erasmus+ programme would have a particularly damaging effect on Modern Languages, as the subject would risk losing all EU university placements for UK students.
3.6. Research from the University of Cambridge has shown that there is a significant language skills gap which is costing the UK economy billions of pounds each year. Similarly, the most recent CBI Education and Skills Survey shows that 58% of UK businesses are not satisfied with school/college-leavers’ foreign language skills and 48% are not satisfied with graduates’ foreign language skills. The foreign languages most commonly mentioned as in demand among businesses are the major EU languages of French (50%), German (47%) and Spanish (30%).
3.7. The UK will arguably need more speakers of foreign languages in the future to provide specialist translation and interpretation to help deliver new bilateral trade deals and ensure the UK is ‘open for business’ after we leave the EU. Government action is needed to ensure the UK attracts and produces sufficient linguists to meet its objectives in trade and international diplomacy.
3.8. In particular, clear guidance is urgently needed on the position of UK students who are planning to start a Modern Languages degree in September 2017, who will be due to go abroad in September 2019, i.e. after the UK is expected to have left the EU. At Newcastle University, this will affect around 250 students. These students need urgent assurances of their position following Brexit; they cannot be told just months before going abroad that they will no longer have health insurance cover or access to Erasmus+ study/work placements and mobility funding.
4.1. A university is a community of learning and should be open to all who have the ability and desire to participate and benefit from it. University campuses should remain a diverse mix of individuals from different countries. Working alongside students from the EU and elsewhere enhances the experience for UK students, so the biggest risk to UK students is that they will be less globally-minded and therefore less employable citizens.
4.2. Exiting the EU is likely to reduce the global reputation of UK universities. Most HE ranking schemes award more points to institutions that have high numbers of international students and staff, that send students on international placements, and that produce graduates who are employed by international firms. The departure from the EU, and the perception that the UK is insular and unwelcoming, will have serious detrimental impact on the recruitment of all international students, not just those from the EU.
4.3. If Government rhetoric and policy leads to a reduction in both EU and other international students there will be a knock-on effect on the employability of UK students. This is especially true for students who may not have the opportunity to take a placement abroad as part of their degree. In an increasingly global job market, working with colleagues in other parts of the world as part of a multinational and multilingual team is no longer exceptional. Universities must continue to be international communities so UK students have the opportunity to work with students from other countries and develop the intercultural awareness they will need in their professional career. This is a particular concern in Newcastle and the North East, where there is little diversity outside of the university campuses.
4.4. In addition, at Newcastle University the UK’s exit from the EU is likely to have a particular impact on our Marine Technology course. This is one of Newcastle’s areas of expertise and our graduates have gone on to build global companies in this sector; for example Keppel Offshore & Marine in Singapore is run by Newcastle alumnus Chow Yew Yuen. But the course is reliant on EU staff and students – 12% of staff in the Marine Science & Technology department come from the EEA and 25% of Marine Technology undergraduate students are from the EU, rising to 42% EU students on Masters level courses.
5.1. The Government must keep future generations front of mind while negotiating the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The choices made in the next two years will shape the life chances of our young people currently at school and those yet to be born. Reducing their access to the EU and limiting the opportunities they have to mix with people from other countries while studying will reduce their employability and limit their career options. Decisions must be made in the best interests of the generations to come.
5.2. The most important factor during negotiations will be conveying a strong and clear message that the UK is open to the world and welcomes people from the EU and further afield wanting to study and work here. The rhetoric around the EU will be heard by students and business leaders around the world and will be understood to demonstrate the UK’s position on all international affairs, not just those related to Europe.
5.3. Currently, the Government’s narrative is hostile and seen to be putting up barriers to keep people away. This is damaging for universities and reduces the competitiveness of the higher education sector, at a time when the Government should be seizing the opportunity to support one of its leading export sectors.
5.4. Newcastle’s alumni, both domestic and international, are currently living and working all around the world, exerting significant amounts of soft power for the UK. They are ambassadors for the University but also for the UK more widely, and they often develop valuable business relationships with British firms. If UK universities become less international as a result of the UK leaving the EU, it will inevitably have a negative impact on the country’s global trade relationships.
5.5. We urge the Government to reconsider its position on including international students within migration targets. It has become clear that the International Passenger Survey, on which many of the statistics used to justify the need to reduce the number of international students in the UK are based, is flawed and significantly overestimates how many students overstay their visas. Recent polling shows that the public does not see international students as immigrants, instead recognising the benefits these students bring to institutions and to local economies. The UK could perhaps follow the example of our main competitor countries – Australia, Canada and the USA – by counting international students within the net migration figures but not including them within targets for permanent migration.
5.6. In addition, universities (and other organisations) need to be able to plan ahead, so it is critical that throughout the negotiations the Government provides clear guidance well in advance of any decisions being made. For instance, universities will need to be clear about tuition fees for domestic, EU and international students wanting to start studying in 2018 by the beginning of the recruitment cycle in Spring 2017, so will need clarity from the Government before then on issues such as the status of EU students for the duration of their course.
Appendix 1: Examples of the contribution EU students make to local economies and communities
Prominent alumni gives back to his University and the North East
Norwegian Peter Smedvig graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Economics and, after the sale of his family's shipping company, founded Smedvig Capital in 1996 with John Hewett. The company, headquartered in the UK, is now worth more than £350m. As well as his impressive track record of venture, property and oil industry investment, Peter is a friend and supporter of Newcastle University.
In addition to the establishment of a scholarship fund for Norwegian students coming to Newcastle, he generously initiated the University's Founderships programme which offers University graduates business support and funding. The programme has already established a number of businesses both locally and nationally which has opened up new avenues of investment, innovation and employment.
Languages in the community
Newcastle University’s Language Resource Centre provides the local public with a range of activities and services that are organised and delivered by EU and other international students. These include conversation groups in other languages, language taster sessions and a tandem learning scheme where English native speakers are paired up with a native speaker of the language they are learning.
The Centre organises a “One World Week” event in March where various groups of international students showcase aspects of their home culture. It has also developed a range of language learning materials which Newcastle’s international students were employed to design and produce. These have been used in schools throughout the region and have had a significant impact on pupils’ learning.
Appendix 2: Case studies of the key role of EU staff at Newcastle University research centres
John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre at Newcastle University
The John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, based at the University’s Institute of Genetic Medicine, is a key example of how Newcastle University thrives with its EU and other international employees.
The Centre brings together many European experts in neuromuscular diseases to improve the health outcomes of patients. The facility is recognised around the world as being at the forefront of helping those affected by the life-limiting diseases.
More than 100 employees are based at the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre. The team consists of members from across Europe and approximately 30% of all staff are EU citizens.
The four Principal Investigators of the Centre are from different European countries, including two from Germany, one from Hungary and one from the UK. They all hold joint appointments between the University and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and have more than 160 publications in the last three years between them, covering areas concerned with gene discovery, basic research and patient care. Their time is split between research and clinical commitments and they provide leadership across the Centre to make it the success it is today.
A major achievement of the Centre is that its team has been instrumental in developing and implementing tools and services to facilitate translational research and prepare the neuromuscular field for trials. The Centre is currently running 24 paediatric and adult clinical trials with more than 300 patients enrolled in the research, making it one of the leading groups in the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for clinical trials.
The Centre has an international reputation for the development of patient registries and validation of outcome measures for clinical trials. As an expert neuromuscular centre, it has played the key coordinating role in developing, publishing and implementing standards of care for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which have since received NICE accreditation.
One of the great strengths of the facility is its collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, both within the team at Newcastle and with other experts around Europe and the world, to give those with neuromuscular diseases a better quality of life.
Over the last four years, the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre has benefitted directly from £7.5 million of EU funding for rare disease and neuromuscular projects, which is testament to the strong European connections the Centre has developed.
Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre
This year Newcastle University was proud to open its Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, where clinical and research teams from across the city can advance their understanding of how to treat childhood cancers.
Work at the Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre is focused on developing less toxic therapies with few side-effects, and more effective treatment options for youngsters with advanced cancer and those whose illness has returned.
The new multi-million-pound facility would never have been possible without the clear vision and leadership of Professor Josef Vormoor, who is from Germany and is Director of the Centre and of the Northern Institute for Cancer Research.
In 2014, Professor Vormoor launched the Future Fund campaign to raise £5.5 million to build new laboratories in the heart of Newcastle University’s campus that would attract world-renowned experts in the field. The passion and enthusiasm of the Future Fund team encouraged many people and organisations to contribute towards the campaign to make the Centre become a reality.
In particular, the Wolfson Foundation invested £1.5m; Barbour Foundation, £1m; North of England Children’s Cancer Research Fund, £500,000; the Garfield Weston Foundation donated £500,000; and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation is supporting the work carried out at the Centre with a donation of £1m.
The research at the Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre will compliment studies undertaken at Newcastle University’s Northern Institute for Cancer Research. There are 167 members of staff at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, 14% of whom are non-UK EU nationals.