Culture and education permit post-Brexit?

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Cultural drive: delivering our current societies and future relationships. Credit: Vadim Georgiev/Shutterstock

July 3, 2017

A new culture and education permit is at the heart of a push to ensure greater cross-border collaboration after Brexit, it was revealed today.

Part of a series of recommendations drawn up by the British Council – the United Kingdom’s organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities – the plan has the backing of more than 500 leaders in education, science, research and innovation, arts and culture from across Europe.

Scientist and broadcaster Professor Brian Cox and artist Mark Wallinger are among prominent supporters of the plan, along with the Creative Industries Federation, Universities UK, the European Cultural Foundation, the V&A, British Museum, Tate and university representatives that include Oxford, Bristol, Liverpool, Sienna and the Sorbonne.

These recommendations shore up the fields that will underpin our current societies and future relationships with the continent and may ease fractious relationships as the politics of Brexit proceed

The document has so far received 400 official endorsements from people in 28 European countries. A draft has been discussed by the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education. It has also been sent to negotiators through the UK Department for Exiting the European Union (DexEU), the President of the EU and the presidency office, Chief-Exec.com has been told.

The British Council’s chief executive, Sir Ciarán Devane, said there was strong will across Europe for continued close collaboration in arts and culture, science and research, skills and education to the mutual benefit of all countries involved.

“As individuals we all invest in our friendships, so we must invest in our European friendships. We cannot take them for granted,” Sir Ciarán said.

“These recommendations shore up the fields that will underpin our current societies and future relationships with the continent and may ease fractious relationships as the politics of Brexit proceed.

“By accepting these recommendations the UK and EU27 can prove they value good relationships and strengthened cultural ties with neighbouring countries.”

The recommendations, which come from the British Council convening members of governments, museum directors, university vice chancellors, and key figures from research bodies, unions, federations and institutions across the science, education, culture and arts sectors, include:

  • Ensuring those in the education, culture and science sectors and young people involved in exchanges remain able to move easily between the UK and other European Union countries, possibly in the form of a simple, cheap and easy to obtain culture and education permit;
  • Guaranteeing residency rights for EU nationals currently living and working in the UK and vice-versa;
  • Continued UK participation in and contribution to multilateral programmes such as Erasmus+, Horizon 2020, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions and Creative Europe;
  • Engaging young people in future policy-making and offering every young person in the UK and other European countries the opportunity of an inter-cultural and international experience, through areas such as study, work, performance, research, language learning or exchanges.

The British Council is organising internal meetings over the next few days. A spokesperson said they hoped the recommendations would build momentum towards greater collaboration across the sectors involved, and also in the minds of negotiators.

 

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