Universities Australia Chief Executive Belinda Robinson said Australia and the US had longstanding ties between university sectors and a proud tradition of student and staff exchanges on a large scale.

“If brilliant scholars from the seven countries named in the executive order are based in the US and visit Australia to collaborate on research, they would not be able to return to the US,” she said.

“The ban has the potential to adversely affect research collaboration, academic conference participation, student exchange programs and postdoctoral work.”

“Collaboration is the lifeblood of world-leading university research and is vital to the economies and societies of both of our nations,” she said.

Over 7000 US faculty members and 37 Nobel Laureates have signed a petition voicing concern and urging US President Donald Trump to reconsider the executive order on immigration.

The Association of American Universities has also called for its reversal, saying that the ban threatens to cause “irreparable damage” to the academic reputation of the United States.

Universities Canada expressed its concern in a statement issued last night.