Freedom of Movement 28 - Athens

Dr Eirini Mantesi was born in a suburb of Athens, Greece.
Since May 2013, she has lived in Nottingham, UK. Eirini studied in Athens, in the School of Architecture at National Technical University of Athens, and now works as a research associate in the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering at Loughborough University, UK.

Her fiancee, Antonis, who also Greek but from the north of the country, lives with her in Nottingham and works for a Greek online gaming company based in Malta.

“The University relies a lot on the free movement of students (non-UK students who study in Loughborough University), but also on the free movement of researchers and academics, who travel to other Universities and other countries as visiting researchers, for collaborative research projects, to attend conferences and meetings.  A loss of free movement would have a devastating impact in the ability of the university - any university - to do research and collaboration, and to attract overseas students. ”

“The most obvious impact for me and my family if we no longer had the right to free movement would be to experience first hand the “gap in geography” that exists between us. Something that for the moment is not as obvious, since we have the option to travel back and forth easily and, on the spot, without having to fill in any paperwork, arrange travel visas etc.”

“Travelling (and living for some time abroad) is the best form of education and it would be a pity to voluntarily give up this opportunity. Furthermore, being someone who has experienced the good and the “bad” times of my own country, it is always better to keep your options open, you never know what the future might bring.”