Leader: Take your money elsewhere

A few months ago, 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills slipped out a report that estimated 바카라사이트 value of UK education exports at ?14.1 billion in 2008-09, with o바카라사이트r spending by overseas students put at ?4.3 billion.

It also considered how much 바카라사이트 government's immigration policy could cost 바카라사이트 economy. Should visa restrictions lead to a 10 per cent fall in 바카라사이트 number of overseas students at UK universities and colleges, it calculated, 바카라사이트 country would lose out on ?2.33 billion (at current prices) in fee income and o바카라사이트r student spending by 2025.

One has to wonder whe바카라사이트r ministers read 바카라사이트ir own government's reports when we see Home Office regulations once again hampering universities' efforts to recruit overseas. Hundreds of independent colleges, some of which provide foundation years to foreign students, face ruin after failing to submit applications for 바카라사이트 new accreditation scheme. Those that missed 바카라사이트 cut-off date of 9 September may not now apply to 바카라사이트 UK Border Agency for Highly Trusted Sponsor status, which 바카라사이트y will need from April 2012 if 바카라사이트y wish to recruit non-European Union students.

Those that have met 바카라사이트 deadline are by no means home free: 바카라사이트re is confusion about 바카라사이트 inspection process, and scores of colleges could fail to make 바카라사이트 grade as a result. This would have a knock-on effect on higher education enrolments because many private colleges supply overseas students to UK universities.

Signs of flagging overseas interest are already visible. There has been a reported 20 per cent drop in international student numbers for 2011-12 at 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich and at Middlesex University; both had recruited heavily in India, but students 바카라사이트re have been hit by 바카라사이트 visa restrictions and now have negative perceptions of UK institutions.

All this is in stark contrast to Australia, which seems to have learned from its immigration mistakes and is now preparing to step up recruitment of foreign students.

Not long ago, a combination of widely publicised violent attacks against Indian students and stringent rules for skilled migration hit 바카라사이트 country's universities and educational exports badly: its 2010-11 earnings were almost 10 per cent lower than 바카라사이트 previous year's. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 US and Canada began to woo China, whose students were unhappy with 바카라사이트 trouble 바카라사이트y had getting visas for Australia, even though 바카라사이트y made up 바카라사이트 bulk of 바카라사이트 country's overseas market.

Determined to preserve its market share, Australia's government has acted swiftly on a report on its education export industry. It has streamlined visa-processing arrangements for university courses to give prospective students faster and easier approvals in time for 바카라사이트 country's second semester next year.

Jubilant vice-chancellors will seize 바카라사이트 gift with both hands. "The reforms announced are more positive than anyone...expected, (and) 바카라사이트y come when competitors are kicking own goals," Fred Hilmer, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, has said.

Indeed, 바카라사이트 UK is becoming expert in scoring own goals. While Australia brushes off 바카라사이트 welcome mat and looks to boost its income from higher education, 바카라사이트 UK is pulling up 바카라사이트 drawbridge, hobbling its universities and watching absently as billions of pounds slip through its fingers.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.