NEIL Carmichael has warned against a “divided Europe” and stressed the importance of continued higher education collaboration in post-Brexit Britain.

The Conservative MP for Stroud, who is chair of the government’s Education Select Committee, said the UK’s universities face a series of “huge challenges” in adjusting to leaving the European Union.

Mr Carmichael, who was a vocal Remain supporter during the referendum, argued links with EU universities, Erasmus study placements and allowing foreign students to study, would all be important for UK education and prosperity in an uncertain future.

“I spoke at many universities across the country during the referendum campaign. As we now know, 73 per cent of 18-24-year-old’s voted to remain,” he said.

“The opportunities to work, study and travel across the breadth of the enlarged EU are huge achievements which only this generation have known.

“They are rightly concerned about what their future now holds.

“More than 200,000 students and 20,000 staff have benefited from study abroad through Erasmus work and study placements – which is the biggest source of funding for study abroad.

“Likewise EU students studying in the UK are estimated to contribute more than £2 billion to the UK economy and support 19,000 British jobs in the local communities.

“Maintaining these links and opportunities is going to be of huge importance to a Brexit Britain.

“None of us should want to see a return to the divided Europe before 1989-90. This is neither in the interests of the EU or a Brexit Britain, which wants to continue to make its way in the world.”

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He added that leaving the EU would bring “new urgency” to the challenge about the UK equips its young people with the skills the country needs to survive and prosper in the world.

Rather than relying so heavily on foreign workers to plug existing skills gaps, he said both government and business would have to concentrate on upskilling the UK population.

“Adjusting to Brexit represents a huge challenge for our universities – and indeed all institutions in 16-19 education,” he said.

“The Education Select Committee’s priority over the next year is to work with universities and FE colleges to overcome this challenge and ensure they can continue to turn out the properly educated people our industries will need to compete in this new world they will face.”

The comments have come shortly after some of the UK’s top universities reportedly faced issues working with their European partners, including being asked to leave EU-funded projects, in the wake of the referendum result.

It also follows suggestions that students in the UK could be shut out of a European exchange programme that benefits 15,000 people every year because of Brexit.

The Erasmus programme allows students at British universities to study abroad in Europe for a year.

The scheme also allows thousands of students from the continent to come to the UK – meaning exclusion from the scheme could serve a severe blow to British universities.

There are 27,401 students on the scheme at university in the UK at the moment, with their fees paid by the EU.

The recent reshaping of the Department of Education by new Prime Minister Theresa May has meant that all levels of education are covered by one department.

This means that the Education Select Committee, of which Mr Carmichael is chair, covers early years to universities and beyond.