Reino Unido: John Swinney announces EU students will get free tuition after Brexit – but not the English

Europa/Reino Unido/Octubre de 2016/Autor: Simmon Johnson/Fuente: The Telegraph

RESUMEN: John Swinney ha negado injustamente discriminar contra el Inglés después de anunciar que los estudiantes de la UE que ganen un lugar en las universidades escocesas el próximo año tendrán su matrícula financiada por el contribuyente, incluso después de Brexit. Ministros SNP están actualmente obligados por las leyes contra la discriminación europeos para ofrecer clases «libre» en la UE, así como a los estudiantes escoceses pero este requisito terminarán después de Brexit, que se espera que se produzca en la primavera de 2019. Mientras que están eligiendo para proporcionar una enseñanza gratuita a los estudiantes alemanes, franceses y españoles después de esta fecha, los de Inglaterra, Gales e Irlanda del Norte seguirán pagando £ 9.000 por año.Preguntó si era injusto proporcionar a los estudiantes estonios una matrícula gratuita pero no es por el Inglés, según el portavoz de Sr. Swinney dijo que estaba manteniendo «el sistema actual». Pulsa de nuevo si estaba discriminando el Inglés, dijo: «Usted tiene su punto de vista, nosotros tenemos la nuestra.»

John Swinney has denied unfairly discriminating against the English after announcing that EU students who win a place at Scottish universities next year will have their tuition funded by the taxpayer even after Brexit.

The Education Minister told the SNP conference that youngsters from the rest of Europe who enrol for the 2017/18 academic year will have their fees paid for the full four years of their degree even if Brexit happens in the interim.

SNP ministers are currently forced by European anti-discrimination laws to offer ‘free’ tuition to EU as well as Scottish students but this requirement will end after Brexit, which is expected to occur in spring 2019.

While they are choosing to provide free tuition to German, French and Spanish students after this date, those from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to pay £9,000 per year.

Asked whether it was unfair to provide Estonian students with free tuition but not the English, a spokesman for Mr Swinney said he was maintaining “the current system”. Pressed again whether he was discriminating against the English, he said: “You have your view, we have ours.”

With 13,450 EU students at Scottish universities last year, the policy is estimated to cost Scottish taxpayers more than £75 million in tuition fee subsidies.

The announcement came after Scotland’s universities this week demanded that ministers make clear whether EU students who win a place next year would get their tuition fees funded by the taxpayer after Brexit.

Their call for clarity came after Jo Johnson, the UK Universities Minister, announced that European students applying for places in England next year will continue receiving loans and grants for the duration of their studies, even if Brexit happens sooner.

Principals were worried they could face legal action as prospectuses published before the Brexit vote in June guaranteed that EU students starting in the 2017/18 academic year would not have to pay fees.

They were also concerned that they faced having to plug a financial gap of around £60 million if Brexit meant they were forced to provide ‘free’ tuition for two years without Scottish Government funding.

But Mr Swinney said: “I am proud that Scotland is a destination of choice for EU students. Therefore I am pleased to give them further reassurance by confirming that support from the Scottish Government for tuition-free studies will continue for those commencing courses here in the 2017-18 academic year.

“However, the continued refusal by the UK Government to give assurances that the immigration status and rights of EU nationals living in Scotland will not change after Brexit is deeply concerning.

“EU students will rightly have concerns about any change in their status half way through a course. These students deserve certainty. They deserve to be guaranteed their right to stay.”

Mr Swinney announced in July that EU students starting university this year will not pay tuition fees for the duration of their degrees but had not previously made clear the status of those applying for places in 2017 despite applications having opened last month.

Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, welcomed his announcement, saying it provided them and EU students with the certainty required during the application process.

He added: “The Scottish Government has sent a clear message that it values the contribution that students from across the EU make to our higher education sector educationally, socially and culturally.”

Fuente: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/14/john-swinney-announces-eu-students-will-get-free-tuition-after-b/