Four years on from the EU Referendum, the United Kingdom has left the European Union and a deal was agreed in December 2020 on the framework for the future relationship.
The implications of these changes for higher education and the University’s activities are wide-ranging, but I can assure you that I will continue to work closely with our partners and my fellow vice-chancellors to achieve the best outcomes for our students, our staff and our sector.
Many of the changes will affect European students and staff, in particular the changes to the UK’s immigration system. I appreciate the concern this may create, and we have provided regular updates and advice to the University community and prospective students in the lead up to 1 January 2021 to prepare for those changes. We will continue to provide support and work with government and sector partners to navigate the path ahead, mitigating impacts and creating new opportunities.
It is my view that the change in relationship between the UK and EU will not affect Edinburgh Napier University’s ambition and our strategy; we remain fully committed to internationalisation for all the benefits it brings and to our many EU partners whose relationships we have valued over many years. As we chart and drive recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, it will be more important than ever for higher education institutions to provide a broad and enriching education for our students wherever they live, and support staff to partner with others to tackle and address the pressing challenges facing our local communities and those we share globally.
In this spirit, Edinburgh Napier will continue to be an outward looking institution, working collaboratively to create opportunities for our students, partnering with industry, connecting communities and through our research, delivering impact in Edinburgh, Scotland and beyond with our local, European and international partners.
Professor Andrea Nolan OBE
Principal & Vice-Chancellor