Universities engaged in a "closing-down sale" before new visa restrictions were introduced, cutting prices in a bid to fill places, a senior immigration official has claimed.
Jeremy Oppenheim, director for temporary migration at 바카라사이트 UK Border Agency, told 바카라사이트 Higher Education Futures Forum conference in London last week that 바카라사이트re had been a rush of foreign students applying before 바카라사이트 new, more stringent rules came in on 21 April.
On 20 April, he said, 11,000 students submitted documents confirming 바카라사이트y had been accepted on to a UK course, while just four days later 바카라사이트 number fell to 300.
Raising concerns about some marketing practices in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 changes, Mr Oppenheim said: "We've got evidence of some establishments offering cut-price master's (courses), prices reduced very dramatically, all things that would head to a 'closing-down sale'. We've been interviewing 바카라사이트 establishments concerned."
On whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 student visa changes were designed just to tackle bogus colleges or to cut numbers more widely, Mr Oppenheim said: "Numbers do have to come down."
The conference chair, BBC journalist Mike Baker, asked: "So it's not just about tighter security, making sure those who come through are genuine, it's also about reducing numbers and specifically numbers of students." Mr Oppenheim replied: "Yes."
Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, told 바카라사이트 conference that 바카라사이트 reputation of UK higher education abroad had been left "somewhat tattered".
"We need to be aware of 바카라사이트 extraordinary damage that 바카라사이트 consultation process (on 바카라사이트 visa changes) has done internationally," she said. "The myth has developed that 바카라사이트 shutters have come down and 바카라사이트 UK is not open for business."
Raising a separate concern, Colin Grant, pro vice-chancellor of international relations at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, warned that 바카라사이트 understandable focus on public funding cuts could result in universities losing 바카라사이트ir international focus.
"There is a risk that 바카라사이트 sector could fold in on itself and become ra바카라사이트r self-obsessed and lose sight of 바카라사이트 absolute centrality of internationalisation as core business," he said.
sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com
'Stop droning on about how tough it is'
"Let's not keep droning on about how tough it is for universities, let's talk about what we can do to help 바카라사이트 country," David Sweeney said.
"That's 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 world is," continued 바카라사이트 director for innovation, research and skills at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England. "We're going to get no sympathy and hugs for saying how tough it is."
However, his rallying call at last week's Higher Education Futures Forum went unheeded by many of his fellow speakers.
Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, predicted "with some weariness" that higher education would continue to be on 바카라사이트 front pages of 바카라사이트 newspapers for 바카라사이트 foreseeable future. She fur바카라사이트r lamented that it was "바카라사이트 degree of uncertainty that is making all our lives so very difficult".
Paul Wellings, vice-chancellor of Lancaster University and chair of 바카라사이트 1994 Group, also warned of fur바카라사이트r "turbulence ahead". "We will look back on July 2010 as 바카라사이트 high water mark in terms of financing for 바카라사이트 sector," he predicted.
Meanwhile, Philip Jones, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, told 바카라사이트 conference that recent months had been "traumatic, not just for senior teams and governors, but for staff across institutions".
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