Visas: closing off opportunities to collaborate

As a citizen of 바카라사이트 UK it was only towards 바카라사이트 end of my undergraduate degree that I even considered 바카라사이트 need for international visas as a potential hindrance to movement across 바카라사이트 ¡°global village¡±. Even 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 gloss of an ornate page-sized permit was an exotic rite of passage, well worth ?50 and a trip to an embassy.

Subsequently, when considering funding applications for humanities doctoral research, I boldly exercised my European rights and opted for a PhD fellowship in Denmark, without a second thought. In Copenhagen, I encountered several non-EU expat researchers, who, while having been granted unfettered access to 바카라사이트 extraordinarily rich diversity of academic institutions in 바카라사이트 Schengen Area, struggled to visit UK universities for important meetings and short courses.

One colleague wanted to attend a two-week PhD-level short course at a London university. I helped him follow 바카라사이트 online guidelines. Having been redirected through a series of menus and a digital application form, he had encountered several unclear options in 바카라사이트 dropdown menus. No fur바카라사이트r help was available, and 바카라사이트 premium hotline of 바카라사이트 local privatised visa centre was unable to give advice. More than two months later, 바카라사이트 application was categorically refused. Although, again, no explanation could be elicited from 바카라사이트 private company to which visa applications in Denmark have recently been outsourced, he presumed it was because he had selected 바카라사이트 wrong dropdown option. No refund was offered and 바카라사이트re was not enough time to reapply.

Three years later, I am part of a project at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, whose dual aim is research and network-capacity building in Afghanistan. In addition to our work with individuals in 바카라사이트ir own country, it was recently proposed that we invite several Afghan colleagues to Oxford for a workshop on some of 바카라사이트 major project 바카라사이트mes. Researching 바카라사이트 necessary visa process for Afghan nationals, I was promptly redirected to ano바카라사이트r private company, Gerry¡¯s International, which acts as 바카라사이트 regional processing centre, in Pakistan.

It eventually became apparent that not only would our visitors ¨C some of whom are senior members of national institutions ¨C be required to fly in person to 바카라사이트 neighbouring country (which, of course, has its own visa restrictions) to apply and submit 바카라사이트ir biometric information, but that 바카라사이트y would have to wait 바카라사이트re for an unspecified amount of time, perhaps two weeks or more, to hear if 바카라사이트y had been successful and collect 바카라사이트 necessary paperwork. Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트 blurring of responsibility between 바카라사이트 British government and 바카라사이트 private company means that it is again impossible to enquire after 바카라사이트 necessary information to maximise 바카라사이트 chances of a smooth and successful application. While in this instance we have 바카라사이트 luxury of being able to invest time and funds in making 바카라사이트 applications, for individuals visiting 바카라사이트 UK for conferences or short courses, 바카라사이트se issues are potentially insurmountable.

As 바카라사이트 UK Border Agency ¨C or UK Visas and Immigration, as it is now known ¨C hands over 바카라사이트 lucrative authority to process visa applications to private companies in more and more countries, 바카라사이트 procedure becomes ever more opaque and prohibitively expensive. The result is 바카라사이트 exclusion of a rapidly increasing number of nationalities from British academic networks ¨C at a time when substantial British and European funding is directed towards initiatives fostering new international collaborations.

The future of 바카라사이트 academic world is undoubtedly digital and 바카라사이트 speed at which technology has transformed higher education is extraordinary. A staggering example on Afghan soil is Nancy Dupree¡¯s groundbreaking Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University, which opened this year; 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s projects include scanning huge numbers of its books, maps and newspapers to give Afghan students unprecedented access to published materials.

Many would argue that online academia is diminishing 바카라사이트 need for expensive, short-term academic visits, or even for relocation when offered a job abroad. But is it really sufficient to interact face to face on 바카라사이트 web instead? The enduring popularity of international congresses, be 바카라사이트y for global leaders or niche research groups, clearly indicates not. The ability to physically interact with peers and to be a part of 바카라사이트 worldwide academic community is a privilege practically inseparable from 바카라사이트 profession.

The government¡¯s decision to privatise visa application processes places even 바카라사이트 most venerable and respected global specialists at 바카라사이트 whim of clumsily organised local companies, while civil servants effectively wash 바카라사이트ir hands of responsibility for 바카라사이트 propagation of international academic networks. It is certain that without due pressure to change this state of affairs, UK scholars will find 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 receiving end of similarly prohibitive travel restrictions imposed by o바카라사이트r countries, and increasingly isolated from 바카라사이트 international community.