Number of non-European Union academics in UK rises again

The number of UK academic staff from countries outside the European Union has almost doubled in the past decade, new figures have revealed.

The latest Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) data released on 28 January shows that 246,930 non-atypical academic staff were working at UK institutions at the start of December 2023 – 3 per cent more than the year before.

Of them, 44,755 (18 per cent) are from outside the EU. This was up from 17 per cent in 2022-23 – the first year that they outnumbered their colleagues from inside the bloc – and just 12 per cent in 2014-15.

Brexit has had a clear impact on the hiring practices of institutions. The total number of non-EU staff grew by 11 per cent, a joint record for the Hesa figures. It has almost doubled from 2014-15, when there were just 23,360.

Academics from the EU now make up just 15 per cent of the workforce, down from a peak of 18 per cent in 2018-19. It is the fourth successive year that their numbers have fallen, although the decline does appear to be slowing, and grew among elite institutions.

At Russell Group universities, the number of EU academics increased for the first time in four years in 2023-24, but growth was still outpaced by those from elsewhere.

Almost a quarter (23 per cent) of academics in this mission group come from outside the EU – compared with 13 per cent among post-92 universities.

Because of its size, statistics on the English sector are relatively similar to the overall UK picture. But the Hesa data reveals large differences between other parts of the UK in terms of the composition of academic staff.

In Scotland, 22 per cent of academics come from outside the EU compared with just 14 per cent in Wales. Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, 35 per cent of all staff are from the EU and 16 per cent from outside.

This means that there are fewer academics from the UK working in Northern Ireland than from outside it for the first time since comparable records began, although this number does include those from the Republic of Ireland.

Of institutions with at least 100 academic staff whose nationality is known, the most international in 2023-24 was London Business School – where 76 per cent of academics are from outside the UK.

This was followed by the London School of Economics and Political Science (67 per cent), and SOAS University of London (57 per cent).

The Hesa figures showed that the number of black professors rose, but universities were criticised for “not doing enough” by the University and College Union (UCU).

Of the 25,670 professors in the UK, 250 were black in 2023-24 – up from 210 the year before, and 165 in 2021-22. However, this means that black academics still make up just below 1 per cent of all professors.

The number of academics temporarily employed decreased further last year. A total of 71,515 (29 per cent) of the sector were on fixed-term contracts – down from 33 per cent two years previously.

However, Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said: “The dearth of Black professors within UK academia and overuse of insecure fixed term contracts shows the barriers preventing underrepresented groups from progressing remain rampant across higher education”.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com