Letters to the editor

Scotland’s poor must not be left behind

Sir, - I have great sympathy with Professor Sir Pete Downes, principal of Dundee University, in his concerns about the impact of Brexit and I share his desire to see many foreign nationals at both Dundee and Abertay Universities.

They enrich our city and my church, for one, would be poorer without them.

However, I think he is unwise to allow his political prejudices about the EU to influence his doom-and-gloom prognosis for the university.

I realise Dundee University receives a great deal of finance from the EU but the possibility of this being removed should not cause panic.

Sir Pete campaigned against Brexit. He should not be continuing that campaign but seeking to get the best deal possible for the university.

Telling his staff that Brexit means foreigners are not welcome will result in foreign staff and students feeling as if they are not welcome.

As someone who is involved with inter- national students I want to say foreigners are even more welcome in Dundee. We need them.

It’s good that Dundee University has 1,000 students from other EU countries and I agree we should campaign to see as many as possible continue to come.

However, universities need to remember they are not just corporate companies selling educational products.

I wish that there would be as much concern and passion to see 1,000 students from Scotland’s housing schemes and from the poorer countries of the world.

We need to see the same concern for the young people who come from the housing schemes of Dundee and Perth and the slums of Nairobi and Aleppo, as for those who come from the suburbs of Paris and Berlin. David A. Robertson, St Peter’s Free Church, Dundee.

Sir Pete Downes, principal of Dundee University.