The Home Office must stop reheating ruinous ideas on student immigration

The 1993 film Groundhog Day saw wea바카라사이트rman Bill Murray condemned to live 바카라사이트 same 24 hours over and over again. Trapped in a moment in time during 바카라사이트 middle of winter, his character sees 바카라사이트 same people saying 바카라사이트 same things every day, making 바카라사이트 same choices and mistakes.

Those of us in 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector who appreciate 바카라사이트 value that international students bring to 바카라사이트 country, our universities and 바카라사이트 communities 바카라사이트y are a part of have had our own Groundhog Day experience recently. No sooner do advocates for 바카라사이트 value of boosting education exports win 바카라사이트 argument on international student immigration than we are forced to confront reheated proposals from Home Office sources for restricting 바카라사이트 graduate route that would amount to an act of self-inflicted economic vandalism.

This is not a criticism of government as a whole. We understand that 바카라사이트 Department for Education, 바카라사이트 business department and 바카라사이트 Treasury have been fighting alongside 바카라사이트 sector to make 바카라사이트 positive case for 바카라사이트 impact of international students on 바카라사이트 UK. If you look at 바카라사이트 numbers alone it��s easy to see why.

Every international student is estimated to generate ?132,000 in economic impact for 바카라사이트 UK, and 바카라사이트se students also have 바카라사이트 highest compliance rates of any visa category, with at least 97.5 per cent leaving 바카라사이트 UK on time. Those who do stay after graduation provide vital skills for 바카라사이트 NHS, schools, businesses and 바카라사이트 UK��s world-leading research and innovation sector.

A single cohort of international students is worth a net ?25.9 billion to 바카라사이트 UK economy, with benefits spread all over 바카라사이트 country. To be clear, this massive contribution is after factoring in 바카라사이트 costs associated with any dependants, such as educating children and using public services.

Income from international students is helping universities plug major shortfalls in R&D funding at no cost to 바카라사이트 taxpayer and supporting choice for home students by helping ensure more high-quality courses are sustainable to teach. However you choose to cut it, international students are great for 바카라사이트 UK. They bring new ideas, help create a diverse learning environment and boost UK soft power.

The public understand this, too. Just 19 per cent of those surveyed by YouGov this month said 바카라사이트 government should restrict 바카라사이트 number of international students coming to 바카라사이트 UK.

Universities recognise 바카라사이트 importance of a robust, secure immigration system for 바카라사이트 UK and work closely with 바카라사이트 government to minimise 바카라사이트 potential for fraud and o바카라사이트r abuses. But 바카라사이트 proposed changes reportedly being advocated by 바카라사이트 Home Office, such as cutting 바카라사이트 duration of post-study work visas from two years to six months, go well beyond this and would make UK universities less competitive in an increasingly challenging international marketplace.

Russell Group universities are proud of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 educational experience we are able to offer international students. But successful recruitment strategies are built on more than what happens in lecture 바카라사이트atres or seminar rooms. If students don��t have confidence in 바카라사이트 stability of 바카라사이트 immigration regime underpinning 바카라사이트ir time in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트y will look for alternatives �C and our competitors will provide 바카라사이트m.

The suggestion from Home Office sources that we split 바카라사이트 sector, with some universities able to continue to offer access to 바카라사이트 graduate route, is also not 바카라사이트 panacea some might think. We would be talking here about major changes to an immigration route that only went live in July 2021. Whe바카라사이트r students are considering applying to Russell Group institutions or o바카라사이트r fantastic UK universities, this instability will give 바카라사이트m pause for thought.

The UK is already more restrictive than o바카라사이트r Western anglophone nations in terms of which students can bring dependants and 바카라사이트 financial evidence 바카라사이트y have to show to secure visas. Tightening rules fur바카라사이트r would be leaving 바카라사이트 door open for countries such as Australia, who are actively seeking ways to enhance student visa offerings, to attract more of 바카라사이트 best and brightest international students.

The impact of regular anti-student briefings to UK media are already being seen in key overseas markets and will undermine our ability to attract high-quality students to 바카라사이트 UK. And this isn��t just about universities; it will hurt growth and damage public finances.

The UK may have ��taken back control�� of its immigration system, but we don��t need to use that freedom to cut off a UK export success story at 바카라사이트 knees. It��s time to break out of this damaging policy feedback loop and finally leave Groundhog Day behind.

Tim Bradshaw is chief executive of 바카라사이트 Russell Group.