Without visa reform, universities could lose vital technical staff after Brexit

Universities need technicians from abroad, but the current immigration regime makes them difficult to recruit - and it will get harder after Brexit

• Dr Hollie Chandler is a senior policy analyst at the Russell Group

The case for why UK universities need to be able attract and retain talented overseas academics has been made loud and clear by many in the sector and outside it. But what about the other, highly trained experts at our universities who are in non-academic roles? So far, there has been little discussion about overseas staff in in such positions and how Brexit might impact their recruitment by universities.

Technicians are one such group of highly trained, non-academic staff that provide critical support to teaching and research across our universities. They typically work as an integral part of research groups, supporting excellent research and training PhD and postdoctoral researchers in vital techniques and use of equipment. They also play a key role in undergraduate teaching, helping to deliver practical sessions in labs.