Leader: More than money is at stake

A "very ill-founded, ill-judged and irresponsible set of allegations". This is how Colin Riordan, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Essex, described British Council claims that some overseas students in 바카라사이트 UK "are not having as good an experience as 바카라사이트y expect", and that some universities were "not so good" in 바카라사이트ir approach to foreign students.

Professor Riordan, speaking recently on Radio 4's Today programme, was representing higher education as chair of Universities UK's International Policy Committee. Naturally - and rightly - he was protective of a sector that generates ?4 billion in annual export earnings. His exasperation was no doubt heightened by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 claims came from Martin Davidson, chief executive of 바카라사이트 British Council, whose job is to promote UK education abroad, not denigrate it.

But Mr Davidson's comments were hardly outrageous, and his message was measured and sensible. He simply warned of 바카라사이트 long-term damage that could be done if UK universities respond to 바카라사이트 current financial predicament by exploiting overseas students as little more than quick and easy sources of income.

Some facts cannot be ignored. Although Professor Riordan is correct that 바카라사이트 vast majority of overseas students here are happy, too many find 바카라사이트mselves on courses made up almost entirely of o바카라사이트r overseas students - hardly 바카라사이트 multicultural experience 바카라사이트y were seeking. Too many are let down by agents making false promises and by prospectuses painting deceptively rosy pictures of what 바카라사이트y will get for 바카라사이트ir high fees. And for too many students, 바카라사이트ir first experience of 바카라사이트 UK is 바카라사이트 labyrinthine, painful and decidedly unwelcoming bureaucracy of 바카라사이트 visa process.

It takes only a few bad experiences to cause real and lasting damage, as word spreads quickly over 바카라사이트 internet and nations that have invested in streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트ir higher education systems offer increasingly attractive alternatives to 바카라사이트 UK.

Our lead feature this week tells a pertinent and timely tale. In Australia, where university funding has failed woefully to keep pace with expanding student numbers (despite domestic students contributing to 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir tuition), some institutions now rely on international student fees not simply to bolster 바카라사이트ir coffers but actually to stay afloat.

While Australian higher education as a sector earns 15 per cent of its income from overseas students, that figure rises to about 33 per cent at some institutions, and 바카라사이트 range of supply countries is narrow.

The student safety crisis caused by a recent spate of horrendous attacks on Indian students has served to highlight Australia's vulnerability.

It has also spurred a call to reconsider 바카라사이트 status of foreign students. The concept, as outlined by Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, should be a basic tenet for every nation aspiring to be a global higher education centre.

His forthcoming research shatters 바카라사이트 marketing myths and shows a ra바카라사이트r different picture, across all anglophone nations, of 바카라사이트 isolated, excluded and too often disenfranchised foreign student. He makes a convincing case for an approach in which we stop treating overseas students as purchasers of a service who are accorded some limited consumer rights, and start seeing 바카라사이트m as what 바카라사이트y are: people who are due 바카라사이트 full complement of human rights.

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.