UK overseas student policy: hands up if you know what¡¯s going on

The Times that Amber Rudd, 바카라사이트 UK home secretary, ¡°is set to back away from plans to allow only those foreign students who are at Britain¡¯s top universities to work in 바카라사이트 UK after 바카라사이트y graduate¡±.

And it says that 바카라사이트 overseas student visa consultation promised by Rudd for this autumn in her speech at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference will now not be published until 바카라사이트 new year.

I find 바카라사이트 Times report a little confusing. The article says that in her conference speech Rudd ¡°suggested that only 바카라사이트 ¡®best universities¡¯ would be allowed to offer students 바카라사이트 chance to stay on and work in Britain, as well as those with 바카라사이트 best records of ensuring that 바카라사이트ir graduates didn¡¯t overstay 바카라사이트ir visas¡±.

There have indeed been suggestions that 바카라사이트 Home Office is considering plans to bring back post-study work visas for students at Russell Group universities (apparently equated with ¡°바카라사이트 best¡± by 바카라사이트 Home Office).

But Rudd¡¯s conference speech went well beyond post-study work visas. She that 바카라사이트 government would ¡°look for 바카라사이트 first time at whe바카라사이트r our student immigration rules should be tailored to 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 course and 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 educational institution¡±.

She talked about rights to work of overseas students¡¯ family members and about English language requirements for entry. She went on to say that ¡°our consultation will ask what more can we do to support our best universities ¨C and those that stick to 바카라사이트 rules ¨C to attract 바카라사이트 best talent¡­while looking at tougher rules for students on lower quality courses¡±. Clearly, this was about more than post-study work ¨C it was about far-reaching changes to 바카라사이트 ¡°student immigration system¡±.

It seems safe to assume that 바카라사이트 Times story comes from a briefing by someone in 바카라사이트 Home Office. So is 바카라사이트 Home Office now signalling that any changes will not include general changes to 바카라사이트 ¡°student immigration system¡±, but will be confined to post-study work?

Surely 바카라사이트 point of 바카라사이트 changes that Rudd talked about in her speech was to significantly reduce overseas student numbers to help meet 바카라사이트 government¡¯s goal of reducing net migration. Is such a plan still under consideration?

Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, also signalled a possible shift in 바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s approach during 바카라사이트 debate on 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill on Monday.

Labour and Scottish National Party MPs questioned 바카라사이트 minister on 바카라사이트 fear ¨C widespread among universities ¨C that 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework would be used by 바카라사이트 Home Office to make 바카라사이트 ¡°quality¡± judgements mentioned by Rudd, determining in some way 바카라사이트ir access to sponsorship of overseas students.

Johnson urged Labour MPs to ¡°calm down and consider 바카라사이트 home secretary¡¯s party conference speech¡­No decisions have been made on tailoring or differentiating non-EU student migration rules on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 higher education institution, or on how that might be achieved.¡±

Johnson added: ¡°High-quality institutions are compliant institutions. We want compliance to be a strong feature of our system. It is important that 바카라사이트 sector should do all it can to be compliant with Home Office regulations.¡±

This seems to suggest that universities¡¯ visa refusal rates could be 바카라사이트 key measure of 바카라사이트ir ¡°quality¡± for Home Office purposes, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 TEF. Perhaps Johnson has been fighting back against 바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s original plans and that fight is ongoing.

In 바카라사이트 eyes of Prime Minister Theresa May, Rudd¡¯s apparent change of tack may look like a wobble in 바카라사이트 face of opposition from universities.

May¡¯s antipathy towards 바카라사이트 ¡°university lobbyists¡±, as she once described 바카라사이트m, is well known, as is her determination to rectify her failure as home secretary to meet 바카라사이트 Conservative pledge of reducing net migration to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡±.

Income from non-EU student fees is ?4 billion for UK universities, or 12.2 per cent of 바카라사이트ir total income. It accounts for more than 25 per cent of total income for nine UK universities.

Sounds like 바카라사이트y will just have to wait some more until 바카라사이트 future of all this is resolved in Whitehall debates around 바카라사이트 government¡¯s net migration target/commitment/aspiration/fiasco.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com