The Impact of Brexit on Recruiting Students

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:35 pm on 6 November 2018.

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Photo of Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones Labour 1:35, 6 November 2018

Well, through working, as I said, with the higher education funding council, we're assessing what the effects will be. It is right to say that we have seen 22 per cent fewer EU domiciles placed at Welsh providers for 2018-19. We will, of course, continue to press the message that Wales is open for business and is an attractive destination for students, with well-ranked universities, quality teaching and affordable living costs. But there's no doubt that there is a feeling amongst students not just from within the EU, but from outside, that the UK in some way is not welcoming as far as students are concerned. For years, I listened to people from the Indian Government, for example, and those representing them, saying that they felt that their students were not welcome in the UK any more, and now we're seeing that perceived lack of a welcome being extended to other nationalities as well. But, as far as Wales is concerned, we welcome the brightest and best, wherever they're from.