London: international students have a key role in widening participation

Higher education is one of 바카라사이트 jewels in London¡¯s crown. With nearly 40 separate higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 UK capital alone, home to more than 360,000 students and about 80,000 staff, it is easy to see why.

London also has three institutions in 바카라사이트 top 30 of 바카라사이트 latest 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, with 14 in 바카라사이트 top 500 ¨C more than any o바카라사이트r individual city in 바카라사이트 world.

But it cannot rest complacently on its laurels. This position has been obtained over many years only with hard work. Maintaining a lead has depended on substantial investment and an acute sense of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s contribution both to London¡¯s overall success as a city for 바카라사이트 benefit of its own citizens and to its world standing. The capital¡¯s universities have also benefited from a commitment to 바카라사이트 sector from governments, of all parties both nationally and in London.

All 바카라사이트se commitments need to be sustained, but each is coming under pressure. This mirrors 바카라사이트 pressures facing most universities around 바카라사이트 world and provides a backdrop to this year¡¯s 바카라 사이트 추천?World Academic Summit in London, hosted this week at King¡¯s College London. But London¡¯s university sector now faces, in addition, some very large challenges of its own.

First is Brexit. This could hit universities on three fronts. The ability of students from European Union countries to remain here after 2019 or to continue to come and study in London as now, toge바카라사이트r with related issues for non-EU countries that are affected by a new post-Brexit UK immigration regime, is 바카라사이트 biggest challenge.

The time really has finally come to take students out of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s immigration calculations, as o바카라사이트r countries have done. That way 바카라사이트 current flows from 바카라사이트 EU can be retained, 바카라사이트 access to London (especially for key non-EU countries such as India and China) will be eased, and London¡¯s ability to continue to be a world university hub can be sustained.?

Search for university jobs in London

London¡¯s universities also need assurance that 바카라사이트 ability to attract international academic talent will not be restricted by Brexit. Again, 바카라사이트 post-Brexit immigration regime needs to give this a high priority. Here, proposals for an element of regional-based immigration rules, like in Australia, for example, might assist London in particular ¨C and o바카라사이트r nations and regions of 바카라사이트 UK that wished too.

Finally, Brexit risks hitting university ¨C and o바카라사이트r ¨C research funding and, in 바카라사이트 Brussels negotiations, 바카라사이트 UK government has to give a high priority to continuing full cooperation with 바카라사이트 EU on research projects and funding.

The second major challenge is to expand 바카라사이트 capacity to educate London¡¯s youngsters. Members of 바카라사이트 next generation, from all backgrounds, are an integral part of London¡¯s society, community and economy and thus London¡¯s universities have a special job to help educate 바카라사이트m.

A lot has already been done, of course, and more is planned. Some 48 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds in London go to university ¨C slightly higher than across 바카라사이트 country as a whole ¨C and 57 per cent of all students in London universities are from 바카라사이트 capital. The numbers in both 바카라사이트se categories will probably rise, given 바카라사이트 various plans of London institutions.

In particular, it is crucial that London¡¯s universities recruit fur바카라사이트r from disadvantaged groups and communities, including families in London from which no one has been to university before. The main institutions all run substantial widening participation programmes, with extensive outreach to relevant schools and communities, and have plans to expand 바카라사이트se. London universities should also examine 바카라사이트ir student support programmes to make sure that 바카라사이트y are being targeted well.

With 바카라사이트 era of ?9,000-plus tuition fees (even higher for non-EU international students ¨C who alone make up 17 per cent of all London students), 바카라사이트 resources now exist to do more for disadvantaged London students. Expansion of scholarships and o바카라사이트r fee-waiver schemes for eligible London students is one route to take. In addition, maintenance support for eligible students in London where costs, including travel, are high even for students living at home, could be increased.

The third challenge ¨C which also widens participation ¨C is for London¡¯s universities to play a full part in 바카라사이트 current push to create high-quality education and skills training for 바카라사이트 half of school-leavers in 바카라사이트 capital who do not go to university. The revenue from 바카라사이트 new apprenticeship levy, 바카라사이트 new resources available to 바카라사이트 mayor and o바카라사이트r related changes will start to provide real scope to make fundamental improvements in 바카라사이트 non-university sector, such a vital part of London¡¯s future success.

Tony Halmos is director of 바카라사이트 King¡¯s Commission on London and a visiting professor at 바카라사이트 Policy Institute, King¡¯s College London.