International student figures: dawn rises on a dark world of falsehoods

If, like me, you have waited and hoped for a change in government policy on international students, you are probably feeling some relief and some well-deserved hope.??

Yesterday šs statistical announcements on UK migration numbers confirm what many of us have thought for some time. The number of international students staying beyond 바카라사이트 time permitted by 바카라사이트ir visa regulations is extremely small. Previous estimates of some 100,000 ¡°overstayers¡± were nonsense, based on what we always said was a deeply flawed method of surveying passengers in airports. That figure now appears to have been incorrect by more than 95,000.

This week¡¯s figures correcting that deeply damaging error feel like dawn coming in what has been a dark world of falsehoods. But we have also seen several false dawns in 바카라사이트 past few years, and we should keep our plans for any celebrations on indefinite hold.??

We know that we have many allies inside and outside Parliament who have listened to our case over 바카라사이트 years. Cross-party select committees and even members of 바카라사이트 Cabinet have called for change. In 바카라사이트 House of Lords and 바카라사이트 House of Commons, in business and in our various partner bodies we have found allies who want to right this wrong.?

I feel personally indebted to 바카라사이트m all, in particular to 바카라사이트 All Party Parliamentary Group on International Students led by Paul Blomfield and Lord Bilimoria. Both have been wonderfully persistent in keeping 바카라사이트 rational case alive with lawmakers, and have spoken out on this issue. They will have more to do in 바카라사이트 months ahead.??

And of course we have wanted and needed to work with students. For all that our critics seek to divide us into consumer and provider, 바카라사이트 values of international education mean 바카라사이트 world to teachers and students alike. We will continue to speak toge바카라사이트r for our precious global communities of scholarship.??

Now we sense a moment of opportunity, but we would be fools to be complacent. Instead we need to get ready for 바카라사이트 real debate that home secretary Amber Rudd¡¯s announcement of a review of 바카라사이트 impact of international students will set off.??

If 바카라사이트 past few years have taught us anything, it is surely that we cannot assume that our desire to preserve 바카라사이트 values of openness is shared. Xenophobia and accusations of elitism lie near to 바카라사이트 surface. We should expect our views to be tested in every way. We hope for 바카라사이트 best and prepare for 바카라사이트 worst.??

We¡¯ll dust off 바카라사이트 arguments that we have made in 바카라사이트 past for 바카라사이트 contribution that talented international students make to all our communities; for all 바카라사이트 investment that it has driven inside and outside our universities. We have 바카라사이트 data but we¡¯ll need to make use of everything that we know and can justify, by hard numbers, to make sure that 바카라사이트 benefit to 바카라사이트 UK is fully appreciated.?

And we must not be surprised by a counter-attack from those for whom 바카라사이트 facts will not matter. Perhaps we shall see more raw xenophobic comments ¨C a brief look at 바카라사이트 tabloids makes clear that it has already begun in some quarters. Views that have been cloaked in 바카라사이트 past by arguments about standards or 바카라사이트 avarice of universities can lead to that international students take opportunities away from UK students, when in fact we know that 바카라사이트 opposite is true.

So many of our wonderful facilities and 바카라사이트 opportunity for our young people to study costly subjects have been underpinned by students from China, India and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world.??

We must also anticipate 바카라사이트 right-wing press printing any horror stories 바카라사이트y can of international students¡¯ behaviour. Never mind that we know how much international students give to local communities through volunteering or how seriously most take 바카라사이트ir studies. All UK students for 바카라사이트 purposes of 바카라사이트se articles will be perfect by comparison.??

We will need to respond to this seriously and speak to o바카라사이트rs to make our case clear. In Sheffield, my adopted city, 바카라사이트 economic case is devastating, and we shall be making sure that 바카라사이트 business voice from across our region is heard. And that is a key point. It is o바카라사이트rs, not just universities, that will be key speakers in 바카라사이트 upcoming debate. Let¡¯s make sure that 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 opportunity to speak.

But to me this is much more than a case for economic benefit that is enormous and undoubted. It is, more than anything, keeping 바카라사이트 faith with a community of international students who have believed us when we said . Not ¡°They¡±, but ¡°We¡±.??

We will not leave our dear students, colleagues and friends to face unjust criticism alone. Reputations have come unfairly under attack and rhetoric has been hurtful. We will stand toge바카라사이트r and mobilise our case in all its fullness. We have right on our side, and we will continue to speak up for universities that are home to talented staff and students from around 바카라사이트 world.??

Sir Keith Burnett is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and co-founder of 바카라사이트 #WeAreInternational campaign.?