Brexit - The Implications for the Higher Education Sector
Now that the British electorate has voted to leave the European Union, the potential opportunities and threats of Brexit for the higher education sector will start to take shape.
What's next?
The next step in the process will be for the UK government to give formal notice of withdrawal from the European Union to the Council of Ministers under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. This notice, when given, will trigger a period of negotiation between the UK and the EU on an exit package - and unless an agreement is concluded in the timescale, or an extension granted by unanimous agreement of the Council of Ministers, our membership of the EU ends automatically two years from the date of notice. During this period, the exact legal framework for the UK's ongoing relationship with Europe and the rest of the world will become clearer.
How will Brexit impact you?
We have been closely following the debate on this important decision, and will closely monitor these negotiations and any related national legislative programme to identify issues and potential changes relevant to the higher education sector, and follow their progress so that we can give our higher education clients as much advanced warning as possible of likely changes, and the potential impact on institutions. We will be reporting to clients throughout a process that is designed to take a maximum of two years, but might last considerably longer.
Those areas where EU law has had the most profound impact on our national law - for instance immigration, employment, discrimination, public procurement, competition and regulatory law - will be closely watched on your behalf, but other issues are likely to emerge, and we will work with you to help understand and manage the legal impact. We will look at the practical implications for key areas for you, such as the effect on the recruitment and retention of EU staff and students, and on collaborations and funding streams.