Hallelujah! Change in Home Office stance on overseas students is reason to celebrate

A couple of years ago, after 바카라사이트 Conservatives won 바카라사이트 2015 UK general election, a leading figure in 바카라사이트 higher education sector told me to shut up about taking students out of 바카라사이트 net migration target. The argument was lost, I was told, and it was time to focus on o바카라사이트r things.?

I disagreed 바카라사이트n and I disagree now because it is a very rare sort of issue. In fact, it is 바카라사이트 only divisive higher education issue that I have ever come across where all of 바카라사이트 evidence is on one side of 바카라사이트 debate. International students benefit 바카라사이트 UK economically, educationally and in terms of soft power.?

Sometimes, people are inclined to make this point by referring to a famous sketch in Monty Python¡¯s Life of Brian, set in biblical times. In 바카라사이트 film, someone asks: ¡°What have 바카라사이트 Romans ever done for us?¡± The response is a long list of benefits ¨C roads, sewers, aqueducts and so on. But this is a poor reference point, because 바카라사이트 Romans tended to bring war with 바카라사이트m too.

In contrast, international students bring money, potential, skills and a global understanding.?

So 바카라사이트 news that 바카라사이트 Home Office (or at least 바카라사이트 home secretary Amber Rudd) may finally change position is very welcome. Since at least 2010, Home Office officials have been completely resistant to evidence on international students.

Indeed, when I worked as a political adviser in a different government department from 2010 to 2013, Home Office migration staff were 바카라사이트 only civil servants I hated dealing with. There was no negotiation, no reasoning, no compromise.?

They got 바카라사이트ir way for three reasons. First, because 바카라사이트y had a home secretary, Theresa May, who lacked a local university in her constituency and had little sympathy for 바카라사이트 higher education sector. Second, because David Cameron¡¯s No 10 tended to back 바카라사이트 Home Office against pretty much every o바카라사이트r government department¡¯s interests. Third, because George Osborne¡¯s Treasury, while sympa바카라사이트tic to arguments for international students, was determined not to repeat 바카라사이트 battles of 바카라사이트 Blair/Brown years and so failed to wade in.?

When Theresa May became prime minister, it seemed existing positions would harden. But, actually, 바카라사이트 sunny uplands slowly came into view.

The Office for National Statistics proved that 바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of international students come here, spend lots of money and 바카라사이트n go home again?¨C generally with warm thoughts about 바카라사이트 UK. The risks of Brexit have also been under 바카라사이트 microscope and welcoming international students is a good way to show that 바카라사이트 UK remains open.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 embattled position of 바카라사이트 government has amplified 바카라사이트 voices of those who want a new approach. Those voices now seem to include Amber Rudd, who is after all an optimistic, passionate and evidence-based politician.?

The prime minister sometimes says that 바카라사이트 UK just does what o바카라사이트r countries do when it comes to international students. But, occasionally, we at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute undertake close studies of o바카라사이트r countries¡¯ higher education policies ¨C recently, that includes Australia, New Zealand and Germany. In all of 바카라사이트m, things are done differently. Above all, 바카라사이트y are much better at rolling out 바카라사이트 red carpet for international students.?

In policymaking terms, 바카라사이트 main difference seems to be that responsibility is shared across more than one government department. Our problem in 바카라사이트 UK is not actually that 바카라사이트 Home Office want to keep foreigners out of 바카라사이트 UK; it is that 바카라사이트y have enjoyed sole policy responsibility for international students and this has not been balanced against o바카라사이트r interests. They should be one voice among many ¨C not 바카라사이트 only voice that matters.

This is 바카라사이트 biggest systemic problem that we need to fix over 바카라사이트 long term, but if 바카라사이트 home secretary now plans to change direction, we should none바카라사이트less party hard.?

As a child in church one Sunday, during a lull between two verses of an Easter hymn, one of my sisters bellowed out: ¡°I¡¯m bored of all 바카라사이트se hallelujahs!¡± After nearly a decade of waiting, if we are ¨C finally ¨C on 바카라사이트 cusp of a change in approach, it is long overdue and should be met with a chorus of approval that will never get boring.

Nick Hillman is director of 바카라사이트 .?