Brexit and the EU Academic System. A Case Study in Austria

• In Event: 4451 - Section on Sociology of Education Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 min): Table 16: Social Patterns, Problems, and Change in Academia

Abstract

The withdrawal negotiations after the United Kingdom (UK) vote to leave the European Union (EU) have fueled discussions concerning repercussions on higher education and research in Europe. We will discuss Brexit against the backdrop of internationalization and the role of the UK in the European higher education and research landscape. When analyzing Brexit as a counter development to internationalization efforts, the question arises as to how institutions in different countries of the EU deal with the new situation that is susceptible to changing the EU academic system substantially. By taking Austria as an example, we aim at studying the responses of higher education institutions in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. To understand if and how Austrian higher education institutions prepare for Brexit, we have conducted semi-structured expert interviews with representatives of International Relation Offices of Austrian universities. Despite the awareness that Brexit might have negative consequences, the institutions mainly adopted a “wait and see” attitude. The institutions justified this rather passive response by highlighting the uncertain outcome of the Brexit negotiations. However, they also show a commitment to finding solutions and new strategies, once the terms of the UK leave are set.  

Authors

• Helmut Staubmann, University of Innsbruck

• Veronika Riedl, University of Innsbruck