Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:43 pm on 11 January 2017.
Yes, the MBA students are our future doctoral students and they are our future researchers. Yes, absolutely. They have an intellectual value that should remain in our economy. Subjecting EU nationals to the same, already harsh restrictions as non-EU nationals after Brexit could have a catastrophic effect on our university system, and it will be to the detriment of our already stuttering economic growth. It is therefore imperative that we secure the visa and citizenship status of EU nationals working in Welsh universities, as the motion quite rightly identifies. Our capacity to meet demand for highly skilled jobs relies on that, and that’s why I will wholeheartedly support the Plaid Cymru motion today.