Postgraduate enrolments to the UK¡¯s top research-intensive universities from European Union countries have fallen sharply, according to new figures released amid warnings that the country¡¯s higher education sector will ¡°take decades to recover¡± from a no-deal Brexit.

New data collected by Russell Group universities show that the number of EU students starting postgraduate taught courses, such as master¡¯s degrees, dropped by 5 per cent in 2018-19 compared?with 2017-18.

That compares with a 4 per cent rise in enrolments on postgraduate taught courses in 2017-18.

Postgraduate research enrolments fell even faster, down 9 per cent on 2017-18 levels, according to the data for 22 of the mission group¡¯s 24 members, which was published on 4 January.

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Uncertainty over?Brexit?and the UK¡¯s future relationship with Europe was likely to be a ¡°significant factor¡±, said Hollie Chandler, senior policy analyst at the Russell Group.

¡°The drop in postgraduate research courses is especially troubling ¨C these students contribute directly to the UK¡¯s research capacity,¡± Dr Chandler said. ¡°If we leave the EU without a deal, the uncertainty felt by prospective European students will only get worse.¡±

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The number of non-UK EU undergraduates starting at Russell Group universities, however, rose marginally in 2018-19, by 1 per cent. This is substantially lower than in any of the four preceding years when student growth ranged between 4 and 7 per cent.

News of the drop in EU enrolments ¨C which averaged 3 per cent overall ¨C came on the same day that several UK sector groups, including the Russell Group, Universities UK, University Alliance, GuildHE and MillionPlus, as well as leading vice-chancellors, signed a joint letter to MPs outlining the perils of the UK¡¯s crashing out of the EU without a deal.

The letter states that the ¡°valuable exchange of students, staff and knowledge would be seriously?damaged¡± if the UK leaves without a deal.

¡°It is no exaggeration to suggest that this would be an academic, cultural and scientific setback from which it would take decades to recover,¡± the letter says, adding that ¡°university leaders are united in the view that the UK leaving the EU without a deal is one of the biggest threats our universities have ever faced¡±.

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In their letter, university leaders say that the government needs to ¡°demonstrate the required ambition, put the right measures and guarantees in place, and, crucially, avoid the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal on 29 March¡±.

They call for a guarantee that research funding from which the UK may be excluded at the end of March will be replaced.

The letter seeks ¡°explicit assurance that if the UK is unable to participate in the European Research Council and Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions funding schemes, which support world-leading breakthroughs, domestic alternatives will be created with the same level of funding¡±.

Dame Janet Beer, president of Universities UK, said that ¡°time is running out to make decisions on issues which will ultimately affect the country and society as a whole¡±.

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¡°We are home to one of the best research systems in the world, attractive to stellar academics, top students and global partnerships, and we must not let this be compromised by a no deal Brexit,¡± she said, adding that ¡°without cast-iron assurances, world-leading academics and researchers may leave for countries where access to ERC funding is not at risk, and those currently considering relocating to the UK may think again¡±.

jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com