THE future for students and universities once Britain leaves the European Union is unclear.

In a statement released by Oxford Brookes University in the wake of yesterday morning’s Brexit vote results, vice-chancellor Alistair Fitt said there were a number of questions that remained unclear.

“It is important to note that the decision to leave the EU will not happen overnight,” he said.

“The first priority for the sector will be to convince the UK Government to takes steps to ensure that staff and students from EU countries can continue to work and study at British universities and to promote the UK as a welcoming destination for the brightest and best minds.”

He said he expected that there would be a gradual, managed exit process from the EU and there would be opportunities for Oxford Brookes, which has a campus in Swindon, and other parts of the education sector to “ seek assurances, ask answer important questions and influence the future for universities including for existing European projects and partnerships.”

But Adam Poole, a PhD student from Wroughton who is close to the end of his doctorate, is concerned about his future.

“Universities depend upon co-operation within the EU, research funding from the EU is very important and foreign students make a huge financial contribution to the system,” he said.

“All this is now in jeopardy. I've been trying to find a job in academia for the last five months, but recruitment stopped weeks ago. I asked two business schools why and they said it was because of the referendum. I’m really worried now that I won't be able to find a job.”

Mr Poole, who is studying marketing at Cardiff Business School, added: “It's not a great situation to find myself in after six years of hard work and struggling financially to try and build a new career.”