European students and staff in higher education in the UK: Statistics, challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The United Kingdom (UK) Higher Education (HE) community is remarkably international, with a remarkable contribution from citizens of the European Union (EU). Recent statistics indicate that 3.3 % of students (95,505) and 15.6 % of academic staff (37,585) in the UK HE are EU nationals. This article critically analyses current statistics on EU national students and staff in the UK HE system, revealing a diminished appeal for EU nationals. However, internationalisation in the UK HE continues to increase, driven by non-EU internationals. EU nationals face new challenges, such as VISA requirements for work and increased tuition fees for study, acting as barriers to accessing the UK HE system. In contrast, internationalisation opportunities like the Turing Scheme have emerged. Additionally, the data analysis seems to reveal the existence of challenges for EU staff in reaching senior positions compared to UK nationals are highlighted, despite opportunities for improved research impact through international collaborations and access to EU grants contributing to the research income.