Study title

This project uses interview data to investigate the implications, implementation and consequences of Brexit for UK universities, including the effects in relation to migration, international education and financial sustainability. The generic research questions are: 1) What are the perceived implications of Brexit for UK universities as leaders and others see it? 2) What are the principal responses of universities and what are their capabilities to monitor, judge, strategies, respond, initiate and make internal changes, in relation to Brexit? 3) How do these factors vary by UK nation; university mission, status, resources; and discipline? The dataset includes 124 semi-structured transcripts of semi-structured interviews conducted between November 2017 to September 2018. Participants were from 12 universities in the UK. This project is part of the ESRC’s 'The UK in a Changing Europe' initiative which supports research into the relationship between the UK and the European Union (EU).UK universities are extensively engaged in Europe, in collaborative research and infrastructure and through EU citizen staff and students. The UK’s departure from the EU has many potential consequences for UK universities and their staffing, research, international education and financial sustainability. Brexit is an unprecedented development with implications in almost every domain of UK higher education (HE) and a range of possible forms and consequences for individual UK HEIs, with marked potential for differential effects (e.g. in research capability, international students, staffing, mission, income) across the variation of HEI types. Though Brexit has many possible forms, in any form it is likely to disrupt existing projects, networks and activities, and could imply sharp reductions in staff, students and/or income, in some or all HEIs. It also calls for new and innovative lines of institutional and discipline-based development on and off shore.In an uncertain and fast changing...