Joint statement with University of East Anglia on Brexit

The University of Essex and the University of East Anglia have issued a joint statement today to coincide with Prime Minister Theresa May officially triggering Article 50. This will launch two years of negotiations on the terms of Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex Professor Anthony Forster and Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia Professor David Richardson said: “The triggering of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is the starting gun for the UK’s exit from the EU and there will be difficult negotiations over the next two years. Inevitably, there will continue to be uncertainty as these negotiations take place. As research-intensive universities with strong global links, we are committed to doing everything we can to protect international mobility for our staff and students, to secure the rights of our non-UK EU staff to work and live here, and to get the best possible deal to support research collaboration and funding.

“There is no doubt that European and international staff and students bring major cultural, social and economic benefits to our cities, towns and regions. In the East of England international students’ alone spend £368 million a year off campus and support 3,081 jobs in the region. There are also significant benefits for UK students of being part of a global community and we want to do everything we can to maintain opportunities for students from our universities to continue to experience living and studying in European countries and further afield.”

• Read our Vice-Chancellor's blog: Reaffirming our commitment to Essex as a cosmopolitan university committed to inclusivity and to internationalism
• Advice for staff and students