Monday 20-06-2016 - 14:49

Staying in the European Union is better for students and better for education – which is why Lancaster University Students’ Union is urging its members to VOTE REMAIN in this Thursday’s referendum.

Union Council agreed last week that we should back the Remain campaign, as we believe that EU membership brings many benefits to students that would be under serious threat if we leave.

They include:

• Access to European Union research grants
• Opportunities to study abroad via the Erasmus+ programme
• Income and cultural diversity from EU students
• Strong workers’ rights

Incoming Vice-President (Welfare & Community) Dave Whitlock said: “There was overwhelming support in Council to back Remain because of the impact on students if we leave the EU is indisputably negative.

“As a Union we urge Lancaster Students to vote Remain in next week’s referendum. It’s vital that the student voice is heard in this referendum, which will shape the future of the UK for generations. Our generation has so much to gain and everything to lose based on the outcome of this vote.”

EU membership brings many benefits to higher education, including £1.3bn tuition fee income, and an additional 15% in funding on top of that provided by the government (much of which is research and development funding).

Erasmus, the EU’s flagship student mobility scheme, sends thousands of students abroad each year helping them to develop new skills and giving them a significantly higher chance of gaining employment after graduation.

The union’s stance on the referendum is backed by current President Will Hedley and our team of Vice-Presidents.

Will said: “Lancaster prides itself on being a university with a global outlook and we are concerned that leaving the EU would threaten the diversity of our vibrant campus community as well as the futures of our students.”

Learn more at the Students for Europe campaign page.

VOTING ON THURSDAY

You should have received your polling card in the mail – it will tell you which polling station you should use.

Polling stations on campus will be at Cartmel College and the Chaplaincy Centre.