University of Bristol. Robert Cutts/Flickr. (CC 2.0 by)
Seismic changes are shaking the foundations of British higher education. On top of the higher education bill currently going through parliament, which is going to have far reaching implications on the way universities operate, Brexit has left universities fearful of losing European staff and students, and of a reputational loss as the country becomes known as unwelcoming to immigrants.
Brexit has already had a significant impact on international students within British universities, who report a growing sense of feeling unwelcome in the country. This is not just about hate crime and media witch-hunting however. New policies requiring strict checks on attendance and limiting international students’ ability to stay and work following their studies also contribute to perceptions of hostility. But if things are difficult for international students, there is a group for whom accessing higher education in the UK is particularly tough: asylum seekers and refugees. While some recent initiatives seek to open up higher education in UK to this group, they face many challenges.
