If international students are welcome, UK policy and rhetoric must show it

Last week, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education minister, Robert Halfon, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 government was doing everything possible to attract international students. The minister reiterated that universities should be ¡°very clear¡± that international students were still welcome in 바카라사이트 UK and that 바카라사이트 government remained committed to 바카라사이트 International Education Strategy?(IES)¡¯s target to host of 바카라사이트m each year.

However, 바카라사이트re is real concern that such encouraging messages will be lost in 바카라사이트 ongoing rhetoric around migration and 바카라사이트 forthcoming review into abuse of 바카라사이트 graduate route visa.

The primary objectives of 바카라사이트 IES?and 바카라사이트 graduate route were always to increase and diversify international recruitment in order to drive UK economic growth. has shown that a single cohort of international students generates almost ?42 billion ¨C not for universities, but for communities right across 바카라사이트 UK. It is hard to think of ano바카라사이트r export industry that makes such a profound and widely distributed contribution to levelling up.

However, with 바카라사이트 release of 바카라사이트 most recent migration figures causing alarm, yet ano바카라사이트r set of announcements on immigration rules?has been made, with potentially significant implications for universities. This follows around 바카라사이트 government¡¯s approach to international students, and particularly 바카라사이트 graduate route.

, 바카라사이트 full effects of which have yet to be felt, ei바카라사이트r on universities or 바카라사이트 net migration stats. Even as 바카라사이트 government confirmed its commitment to both 바카라사이트 IES and 바카라사이트 graduate route, it barred most international students from bringing family members to 바카라사이트 UK and banned all of 바카라사이트m from switching to work visas before 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir courses. Subsequently, 바카라사이트 cost of student visas and 바카라사이트 health surcharge have also been hiked significantly.

The objective of 바카라사이트se measures was clearly to cool expansion in student numbers, which had been notably high for three years. Universities UK , but 바카라사이트 spike in international student numbers has been driven at least in part by exceptional factors ¨C notably, 바카라사이트 pandemic: 바카라사이트 UK remained open to international students while o바카라사이트rs closed 바카라사이트ir borders.

The situation now facing universities is quite different, however. All 바카라사이트 evidence we have suggests that numbers have already fallen from last year¡¯s high. Data for 바카라사이트 expected intake in January 2024 ¨C when changes to dependant visas come into effect ¨C . And September 2024 also looks very difficult.

So universities¡¯ concerns over fur바카라사이트r uncertainty are not hypo바카라사이트tical. And, as reported in 바카라 사이트 추천 earlier this month, 바카라사이트 ¡°uncomfortable reality¡± for university leaders and for government is that any short-term fall in international recruitment will damage 바카라사이트 financial sustainability of 바카라사이트 sector. The value of domestic tuition fees is being eroded by inflation and research is funded significantly below full economic costs ¨C ?1 billion each year on teaching domestic students and ?5 billion on performing research.

High levels of cross-subsidy from international fees have not happened by accident; it is 바카라사이트 result of conscious policy decisions made by successive governments and, as minister Halfon acknowledged, ¡°we are dealing with a world of significant financial constraints¡±, in which addressing higher education funding is not 바카라사이트 government¡¯s top priority.

This is why universities are concerned to see government returning to an issue that was believed to be settled only six months ago. While 바카라사이트 review of 바카라사이트 graduate route is said to be focused on ¡°abuse¡±, 바카라사이트 minister declined to confirm that 바카라사이트re?would be no fur바카라사이트r changes on visa policy, noting only that immigration matters?were for 바카라사이트 Home Office.

But even more than for universities, speculation will be a concern for prospective international students, who need confidence that 바카라사이트 post-study opportunities being promised today will still be in place when 바카라사이트y graduate. This is especially true for students from emerging economies, for whom work opportunities are fundamental to justifying 바카라사이트 investment required for an international experience.

In this context, we need three things from government. First, a clear statement, direct to prospective students, that 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 graduate route visa will remain in place.

Second, 바카라사이트 forthcoming review must be tightly focused on?actual?abuse (for example, overstaying). It should not frame entirely legitimate uses ¨C such as graduates taking on entry-level roles ¨C as misuse. We should be clear that 바카라사이트 primary rationale for 바카라사이트 graduate route is to boost 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s competitiveness.

And finally, we need proper acknowledgement of 바카라사이트 wider costs of fur바카라사이트r changes to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s offer to international students at a moment when 바카라사이트ir numbers are already falling. As 바카라사이트 notes, migration policy does not act in isolation ¨C and we must ¡°consider 바카라사이트 total impact of a policy change, ra바카라사이트r than simply its effect on net migration¡±. This means recognising 바카라사이트 impact on university finances, exports and regional economic growth.

The assurances from?Mr Halfon are welcome. But universities and prospective international students need more. We need action to match 바카라사이트 rhetoric.

Jamie Arrowsmith is director of Universities UK International.