Visa plan a 'kick in the teeth' to Scottish universities

Elite universities say a planned three-year visa for European Union nationals in the event of a no-deal Brexit is a “kick in the teeth” to Scottish institutions, writes Kirsteen Paterson for The National.

The Russell Group, which includes Edinburgh and Glasgow universities among its 24 members, is calling on the Home Secretary and Immigration Minister to abandon plans for a 36-month pass, claiming this would “discriminate” against all courses in Scotland and many in the rest of the UK where degrees are held over four years or more.

Jess Cole, head of policy for the Russell Group, said: “Introducing a non-extendable, three-year visa for EU nationals would be bizarre. It’s a kick in the teeth to Scottish universities, given nearly every undergraduate course in Scotland is four years, and to courses such as medicine and engineering, which are also longer. This makes no sense for the NHS [National Health Service] and industry, given the doctors and engineers we need.”
Full report on The National site