CHEAD is disappointed at the outcome of yesterday’s referendum but respects the decision of the British population. CHEAD’s member institutions continue to value global and European cooperation and welcome students from all over the world to our vibrant and diverse Art, Design and Media (ADM) Higher Education sector. We continue to contribute to and support Britain’s proud heritage of openness, critical thinking, and evidence-based decision-making.
While we understand that there is no immediate change to the immigrations status of our EU colleagues and current students, we do have concerns regarding the status of EU students and staff in the longer term, and for potential future challenges in the recruitment of new EU students, the participation of the UK in EU funded research and future funding for UK research. Longer term, we will lobby from the strongest commitment to the outward-facing and inclusive culture of our sector.
UK creatives overwhelmingly supported remaining in the EU and we are also concerned, more widely, about the global standing of the UK Creative Industries and of our creative education sector. We are concerned about access of UK creatives to EU market for services which is our largest export market and of restrictions on the UK’s access to creative talent from Europe when the UK Creative Industries already struggle to recruit skills. We also have concerns that larger, global, creative agencies may gradually withdraw and global student recruitment will also suffer.
CHEAD will do everything possible to lobby for our member institutions’ interests through the exit negotiations and to enhance our European connections and global presence. CHEAD will work hard to preserve and enhance our culture of openness, creativity, global connectedness and openness.