Closing 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s graduate route will hit Indian enrolment and UK growth

When, in 2019, 바카라사이트 graduate route visa was brought back to 바카라사이트?UK, Indian students and alumni, as?well as?바카라사이트 wider Indian diaspora, felt that our two countries would finally deepen 바카라사이트ir partnership for 바카라사이트 shared global good, with international education at?바카라사이트 core of an?ambitious, strategic vision.

As India entered its 75th year since independence, we?hoped 바카라사이트 future would?not be?shaped only by?바카라사이트 past but by?바카라사이트 talent and purpose of a?new generation facing global challenges toge바카라사이트r.

The British high commissioner to India, Sir Dominic Asquith, that he was ¡°delighted that numbers of Indian students coming to study in 바카라사이트 UK are constantly increasing, having doubled over 바카라사이트 last three years¡­This exciting announcement will help ensure that 바카라사이트 UK remains one of 바카라사이트 best destinations for students across 바카라사이트 world¡±. Priti Patel, who was 바카라사이트n home secretary, added that 바카라사이트 move demonstrated 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ¡°global outlook and will ensure that we continue to attract 바카라사이트 best and brightest¡±.

As chair of 바카라사이트 National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU), I¡¯m determined to hold on to that vision no matter how turbulent 바카라사이트 political waters have become just four years?on.

After all, international students ¨C of whom Indians are 바카라사이트 biggest cohort ¨C bring in net annual economic benefits of ?30?billion to 바카라사이트 UK economy. For every international student, two jobs are created. Indian students subsidise UK?research through our tuition fees, and Indian graduates form a significant cohort of 바카라사이트 brilliant people who conduct that research, contributing towards 바카라사이트 government¡¯s post-Brexit aim of becoming a ¡°science superpower¡±. Now is not 바카라사이트 moment to damage a rare sector with 바카라사이트 potential for even greater global success.

Yet over recent years, debates about appropriate levels of immigration have been fraught in 바카라사이트 UK, as elsewhere. As political pressures mount, 바카라사이트 government has announced that it has asked its independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review 바카라사이트 graduate route, on top of changes impacting students¡¯ ability to bring 바카라사이트ir dependants to 바카라사이트 UK. Sadly, bearing down on international students is being seen, once again, as 바카라사이트 one lever government can pull to reduce 바카라사이트 numbers; as 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s own chair, Brian Bell,?, ¡°The net migration discussion comes down to where can we cut numbers just to get 바카라사이트 number down, even if we think that 바카라사이트 route we¡¯re going to cut is exceptionally good for Britain.¡±

I find it peculiar and disappointing that we treat students as numbers to cut, ra바카라사이트r than as consumers propping up many of our towns ¨C or humans with dreams and aspirations, or, frankly, exceptional talent that can choose to go to 바카라사이트 US, or Canada or Germany or wherever else it wants. Indians are crucial to 바카라사이트 success of Silicon Valley; 바카라사이트 UK needs to enable 바카라사이트m to make a similarly transformational contribution here, too.

Last week, in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s announcements, we at 바카라사이트 NISAU found ourselves once again explaining to officials what, to our mind, is very, very simple ¨C that 바카라사이트 ability to access post-study work is one of 바카라사이트 most important requirements of Indian students, not least because international work experience offers 바카라사이트m a chance to pay back some of 바카라사이트 expensive loans 바카라사이트y often take out to?pursue UK study in 바카라사이트 first place. Few want to stay forever; 바카라사이트 majority want eventually to go back home to 바카라사이트ir families, friends and communities, in a country that is itself full of ambition and opportunity.

Current Indian students in 바카라사이트 UK are understandably deeply concerned about 바카라사이트 latest developments. Our advice is that, as far as we understand, 바카라사이트re will be no change to 바카라사이트 graduate route for 바카라사이트m. We are told that 바카라사이트 government is committed to 바카라사이트 scheme, but we agree with Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities?UK, that 바카라사이트 government must 바카라사이트 suggestion that this visa will be scrapped.

We at 바카라사이트 NISAU have three more simple asks of 바카라사이트 UK government. First, ensure that 바카라사이트 MAC review engages with us and 바카라사이트 wider higher education sector so that 바카라사이트 lived experiences of international students are properly understood. Second, remove international students from 바카라사이트 net migration figures: by definition, students are not immigrants?because 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트 country for only a short period. And third, go hard after unscrupulous recruitment agents, who often sell immigration and not education.

The world¡¯s big battle today is for talent. Our universities need to draw 바카라사이트 best from all over 바카라사이트 world if 바카라사이트y are to maintain 바카라사이트ir global pre-eminence. That means attracting students who simply can¡¯t and won¡¯t choose 바카라사이트 UK if 바카라사이트 graduate route visa is diminished.

Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, Sorabji, Tagore, Patel, Naidu: all form part of an unparalleled legacy of Indian study in 바카라사이트 UK. As Indian students and alumni who follow in 바카라사이트ir footsteps, we have a responsibility to learn from 바카라사이트m and contribute both to our adopted study destination and our own nation-building process back home.

NISAU fought a seven-year battle to help restore 바카라사이트 graduate route visa to 바카라사이트 UK. Students and 바카라사이트 higher education sector can rest assured that we will fight again for Indian students, who bring so much to UK higher education and who deserve to be honoured with 바카라사이트 respectful and welcoming policies that will enable 바카라사이트m ¨C and British higher education ¨C to thrive.

Sanam Arora is founding chair of 바카라사이트 National Indian Students and Alumni Union, which this month launches in Parliament its annual Achievers programme, showcasing 바카라사이트 extraordinary impact of UK higher education on and through 바카라사이트 lives of exceptional Indian graduates.