Over the past year I've heard you express concerns about the effects of
Brexit on your studies, your careers and your lives. I take these concerns very seriously.
I'd like to recognize the impact that
the uncertainties about Brexit may have on people across the collegiate university.
We greatly value and heavily rely on our European colleagues.
We'll continue to do everything we can to reaffirm your confidence in the choice
of Cambridge as the place where you live, work and thrive.
I was pleased to announce recently, that the University will reimburse the cost of applications
for settled and pre-settled status, the government's proposed residence routes
for European Nationals after Brexit.
This will apply to EU, EEA and Swiss employees
as well as their dependents. The University will also contribute to the
cost of obtaining a permanent residence card for those European staff members
who applied after June 2016.
We are not just passively waiting for Brexit to happen.
In the past year various working groups have been assessing the potential
impact of Brexit on the University of Cambridge, both strategically and operationally.
We've carried out rigorous scenario planning on the university's
long-term future and we're preparing contingency plans in case of a no-deal Brexit.
My priority is to ensure that Cambridge is able to bring its fullest
contribution to society, whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.
On immigration, we want a light touch system that allows the best people in all
fields to come here, as they have done for centuries. The definition of skilled
workers should include specialists technicians who are essential to our
research. We're working with others in the sector to make the case for
immigration policies that sustain the UK's research capability.
On student mobility, we want to see the continued free movement of EEA students,
as well as reciprocal arrangements that ensure UK students access opportunities
across the channel.
We want the UK to remain part of the Erasmus Programme or
call on the UK government to introduce an alternative scheme if this is not possible.
On research funding and collaboration,
UK institutions should retain full access to Horizon Europe and continued
eligibility for funding through the European Research Council.
European partnerships are centrally important to Cambridge.
Over the past academic year, we
have signed strategic partnerships with the Max Planck Society, the Ludwig
Maximilian University of Munich and with Sciences Po, in Paris and we will continue
to seek out collaborations with organisations that share our aspirations.
You will be able to find out more about our priorities and the work of our
advisory group on our EU webpage - along with examples of the work our academics
are producing that contribute to the Brexit debate.
There will also be more open meetings in the coming months
to give everyone a chance to ask questions
and share concerns with me and others.
We draw ever closer to the enactment of a
decision that could dramatically change the UK's place in the world. But there
should be no doubt about Cambridge's place in the world:
We are, and will remain a global university.