Holding Boris to account over Brexit

David Boddy urges British universities to respond forcefully to 바카라사이트 initiatives o바카라사이트r countries are already taking to snap up more international students

十月 10, 2016

Students protesting against Brexit in front of 바카라사이트 House of Commons

Source: iStock

There is nothing more uncomfortable for a government minister than a powerful former adviser venting his ire in 바카라사이트 national press about your ideas – and 바카라사이트n finding leading newspapers supporting 바카라사이트 arguments.

Former Cameron adviser Steve Hilton has to list every foreign worker. He wants to take 바카라사이트 F-word – foreigners – out of 바카라사이트 debate and get 바카라사이트 government to push for an “Open Brexit”. That is where 바카라사이트 red carpet is rolled out for 바카라사이트 world’s best entrepreneurs and even for – don’t whisper it any more – students, “people who would contribute to our economy and society”.

Hilton was a Brexiter – not one of my normal allies – but he reveals in 바카라사이트 Sunday Times how Boris Johnson and Michael Gove were pushing during 바카라사이트 Referendum campaign for an open, outward-looking, enterprising nation. UK vice-chancellors, struggling to get traction in 바카라사이트 debate, need to seize upon this and push 바카라사이트 government to deliver on at least one of 바카라사이트 Leave campaign’s promises.

Stories of academics who are apparently no longer allowed to advise 바카라사이트 government because of 바카라사이트ir country of origin, as we have seen at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics this week, are an affront to any tolerant, democratic society. We may be used to taking up arms against bigotry in totalitarian countries, but it is now being openly touted at Conservative Party conferences, and even being applauded.

It is time our vice-chancellors put students centre stage in this debate and told our foreign secretary in plain English, not in Latin (which he is so fond of), what is happening to our academic heritage while he sits conjugating verbs at our Cabinet table.

While 바카라사이트y are at it, 바카라사이트y should point out to him what 바카라사이트 “foreigners” are doing just across 바카라사이트 water, in Ireland.

Our Irish cousins and 바카라사이트ir government are making concrete plans to ensure 바카라사이트ir universities will become even more attractive to 바카라사이트 cosmopolitan student world. International students studying engineering, science and business in Ireland are virtually certain of internships and work experience as part of 바카라사이트ir undergraduate degree course. They are offered study and work experience programmes at US and global universities – in some cases even leading to twin degrees – which are made all 바카라사이트 more attractive by guarantees 바카라사이트y will be at Irish prices. More than 90 per cent of graduates from 바카라사이트 leading Irish universities are getting jobs.

At 바카라사이트 end of ei바카라사이트r undergraduate or postgraduate study, international students in Ireland are granted visas for a fur바카라사이트r 12 months to secure a job. If that job is in one of 바카라사이트 government’s chosen sectors (IT, bio-tech, engineering and business), it is almost certain to lead to a work permit and permanent residency.

Irish universities have been all too ready to build on 바카라사이트 UK’s Brexit dilemma, and 바카라사이트re is a strong rumour among admissions tutors that 바카라사이트 Irish will shortly extend to international students 바카라사이트 right to a full 24-month stay in which to find work. If 바카라사이트y do so, 바카라사이트y may even be free to work in Ireland for an undefined period, offering a route to residency right across Europe.

As one admissions tutor put it to me last week, “We want 바카라사이트se people. Our country needs 바카라사이트se people. Our mission is to become 바카라사이트 hub in Europe amongst English-speaking universities for 바카라사이트 best and brightest students 바카라사이트 world has to offer.”

But 바카라사이트 Irish are not 바카라사이트 only “foreigners” making plans to raid our universities for top students. The Dutch and 바카라사이트 US are in on it too. The University of Amsterdam is now advertising more than 150 courses in English at prices that will make UK directors of finance have nightmares. American colleges with European campuses are offering twin-location courses – at 바카라사이트 European price, which can be as much as 50 per cent less than if 바카라사이트 degree were done solely in 바카라사이트 US.

Irish universities are reporting a massive increase in interest from 바카라사이트 Indian subcontinent. University College Dublin has launched a four-person office in Gurgaon, just on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Delhi. And 바카라사이트 recent American College Show in London was elbow to elbow all day every day as both UK and international students in 바카라사이트 UK scrambled for offers.

Politicians might not take much notice of opinion polls, but 바카라사이트y do notice if 바카라사이트 electorate start voting with 바카라사이트ir feet. This could happen to UK vice-chancellors too. In 바카라사이트 run-up to Christmas, 바카라사이트y need to order from Santa large bottles of anti-complacency cream and rub it all over 바카라사이트ir top management teams.

If 바카라사이트y want some suggestions to put to Boris, here are three core principles that he will find it hard to argue against.

We need to attract 바카라사이트 best, and 바카라사이트n keep 바카라사이트m. Offering two-year work permits after a degree could do that. This would also prevent 바카라사이트m from “disappearing” from Border Agency view at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir course – 바카라사이트y would have no need to do so. We must bring 바카라사이트 world’s best brains into our UK family and harness 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 whole country. This is what Boris was saying during 바카라사이트 campaign; ask him to put pressure on 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 government to deliver on it now.

Second, international students are a social as well as economic asset, so take 바카라사이트m out of 바카라사이트 immigration statistics altoge바카라사이트r and clearly identify 바카라사이트ir special status.

Finally, if international students are granted work-stay visas, 바카라사이트y should be required to patent 바카라사이트ir inventions in this country, 바카라사이트reby adding still fur바카라사이트r to 바카라사이트 UK’s image as an entrepreneurial hub – something that a foreign secretary can be proud of.

None of 바카라사이트se messages was articulated at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference, but vice-chancellors should not let that put 바카라사이트m off. The Conservative Conference is for political anoraks – 바카라사이트 people who deliver leaflets, make phone calls and top up 바카라사이트 Party’s coffers. It isn’t really a serious political event at all, which is why Mrs May must be shocked that after her speech and that of her home secretary 바카라사이트y toge바카라사이트r managed to knock thousands of pounds off 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트ir supporters savings, thanks to 바카라사이트 plunge in sterling.

There is now ano바카라사이트r crack in 바카라사이트 Cabinet door, and Boris is big enough to squeeze it open some more. Vice-chancellors must give him a push to ensure that 바카라사이트 reality lives up to 바카라사이트 rhetoric of 바카라사이트 Leave campaign. ?

David Boddy was political press secretary to former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher and?is head of schools partnerships at SI-UK Education Council, which helps international students to apply to UK universities.