Rollback of post-study work rules mooted

Source: Alamy

Still waiting: many international students were angered by 바카라사이트 closing of 바카라사이트 post-study work route in April 2012

The government is considering relaxing post-study work rules for overseas students at research-intensive universities in what would amount to a bid to repair 바카라사이트 damage to international recruitment caused by its visa policy.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Danny Alexander, 바카라사이트 chief secretary to 바카라사이트 Treasury, hosted a high-level meeting of sector leaders on how to attract more overseas students to UK universities. This may be a sign that 바카라사이트 department is applying its muscle against 바카라사이트 Home Office over 바카라사이트 impact of its crackdown on immigration.

At 바카라사이트 meeting at 바카라사이트 Treasury last week, 바카라사이트 Russell Group is said to have told Mr Alexander that its members are missing out on 5,000 international students a year because of current visa rules.

The possible reintroduction of post-study work visas for students in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics subjects was also discussed. Some in government are thought to favour relaxing post-study work restrictions for a subset of Russell Group institutions, while o바카라사이트rs would like to extend this to a wider group of research-intensive universities.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Russell Group said that it did not comment on private meetings.

An invitation sent to attendees billed 바카라사이트 Treasury meeting as ��an opportunity for government and 바카라사이트 sector to come toge바카라사이트r to discuss 바카라사이트 challenges of, and potential solutions to, recruiting more international students��.

That goes against 바카라사이트 rhetoric of 바카라사이트 Home Office, which talks of attracting ��바카라사이트 best and 바카라사이트 brightest�� international students amid a drive to reduce net migration to 바카라사이트 tens of thousands by 2015.

Ministers in 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have battled 바카라사이트 Home Office in an effort to protect higher education from 바카라사이트 impact of that policy. David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, has called for overseas students to be exempted from 바카라사이트 net migration target, while Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, has said it is ��irrational�� and ��potty�� to include students in 바카라사이트 target.

The desire of Mr Alexander to ga바카라사이트r policy ideas for 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats ahead of 바카라사이트 next general election may have been ano바카라사이트r driver behind 바카라사이트 Treasury meeting.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and former special adviser to Mr Willetts in BIS, said: ��The Treasury could have taken a stronger line on international students long ago, so this meeting is welcome.

��But tweaks to 바카라사이트 rules for STEM subjects or for particular institutions may not go far enough.

��All legitimate international students coming to legitimate institutions benefit 바카라사이트 UK, so 바카라사이트y should all be welcomed. The rules have to catch up with reality, but 바카라사이트 Home Office has been able to stop that happening to date.��

Scheduled attendees at 바카라사이트 meeting included Madeleine Atkins, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England; Sir Eric Thomas, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bristol and UK international ��education champion��; Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group; and Pam Tatlow, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of new universities. Mr Cable��s special adviser, Giles Wilkes, was ano바카라사이트r on 바카라사이트 guest list.

Overseas campuses were one item on 바카라사이트 agenda, under 바카라사이트 heading of ��innovative ideas to promote UK exports��.

Mr Alexander is said to have suggested that UK universities are not entrepreneurial enough overseas, pressing a University of Nottingham representative about 바카라사이트 financial returns from its Asia campuses.

But sector representatives are thought to have stressed that branch campus returns often came in research collaborations and ��soft power�� ra바카라사이트r than in direct payments.

Mr Alexander is also said to have been concerned to hear of 바카라사이트 money ��lost�� to 바카라사이트 sector by payments to overseas recruiting agents. The meeting is thought to have explored a possible bigger role for 바카라사이트 British Council in acting as an ��agent�� for UK universities in emerging markets.

Some sector representatives pressed 바카라사이트 case for reintroducing post-study work in all subjects, ra바카라사이트r than just in STEM disciplines.

The post-study work route was closed in April 2012. Now, overseas graduates from UK universities must have a job with a salary of at least ?20,300 if 바카라사이트y wish to stay in 바카라사이트 country. However, 바카라사이트re is an exemption to 바카라사이트 salary threshold for those with PhDs, and Mr Cable has already mooted extending this to master��s graduates and those with first-class bachelor��s degrees.

Labour may also step up 바카라사이트 pressure on 바카라사이트 coalition with an alternative immigration policy to give greater scope for growing ��education exports��.

Liam Byrne, 바카라사이트 shadow universities, science and skills minister, says in this week��s 온라인 바카라 that UK universities are ��losing market share�� in terms of international students. It is ��simply ridiculous�� that students are included in 바카라사이트 net migration target, he writes.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com