Will There Be a Brexit Brain Drain?

Some academics in the United Kingdom say they are considering leaving the country for greener pastures, as Britain’s exit from the European Union takes effect.

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WIKIMEDIA, RLEVENTEAn academic exodus from the U.K. could be right around the corner, as the so-called “Brexit” that British voters narrowly pushed through last year swings into action, according to a survey of more than 1000 university staffers.

Forty two percent of those academics indicated that they were likely to consider leaving UK higher education in response to Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. Seventy six percent of European Union academics that were not UK citizens said the same. And a whopping 90 percent of survey respondents said that they thought the Brexit will have a negative impact on higher education in the U.K.

“This survey gives a real insight into academics' concerns about the government's policy proposals and the fallout of the Brexit vote,” said Sally Hunt, general secretary of the U.K.’s University and College Union, which conducted the survey, in a statement. “'The level of concern amongst staff about the bill's plans must be cause for alarm.”

The survey also ...

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Meet the Author

  • Bob Grant

    From 2017 to 2022, Bob Grant was Editor in Chief of The Scientist, where he started in 2007 as a Staff Writer.
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