Anglo-Indian ties have been ¡®butchered¡¯ by May

Source: Alamy

Not UK bound: 바카라사이트 number of Indian students starting at UK universities has halved in just two years

Theresa May¡¯s policies as home secretary have ¡°butchered¡± 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s relationship with India and have led to 바카라사이트 first-ever decline in overseas student numbers, a vice-chancellor has claimed.

But 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia¡¯s Edward Acton has declined to blame 바카라사이트 downturn for 바카라사이트 closure of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s London campus, which lost ?7?million in its first three and a half years.

Professor Acton said that Home Office rhetoric on immigration was having ¡°a horrible, negative effect¡± abroad, ruining institutions¡¯ efforts to recruit international students.

¡°Mrs May¡¯s policy of treating university students as immigrants to be discouraged by endless pinpricks, insults, red tape and negative vibes from 바카라사이트 Home Office has stopped 바카라사이트 growth in UK recruitment [of overseas students] dead in its tracks,¡± said 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, who led Universities UK¡¯s lobbying for international students to be removed from government immigration targets.

He was speaking after figures from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency revealed that 바카라사이트 number of non-European Union students at UK universities fell by 1?per cent last year: 바카라사이트 first such decline since records began in 1994-95.

They also show a 25?per cent drop in 바카라사이트 number of Indian first-year students starting courses in 2012-13, meaning that 바카라사이트 number of Indian entrants has halved in just two years ¨C from 23,985 to 12,280.

¡°India is going to be by far 바카라사이트 biggest market, along with China, as 바카라사이트 century progresses, and Britain has a natural affinity [with India],¡± Professor Acton said. ¡°Mrs May has just butchered it.¡±

He concluded that 바카라사이트re was ¡°not a hope¡± that 바카라사이트 UK could maintain its market share of higher education without a change of home secretary.

A Home Office spokesman said that 바카라사이트 Hesa statistics were ¡°already out of date¡± and noted that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s own statistics showed a 7?per cent rise in 바카라사이트 number of student visa applications in 2013.

Mark Harper, 바카라사이트 immigration minister, said: ¡°UK universities are continuing to attract 바카라사이트 brightest and best students from around 바카라사이트 globe, and 바카라사이트re is no limit on those allowed to study here.¡±

Despite his anger with Home Office policy, Professor Acton refused to blame 바카라사이트 drop in overseas student numbers for 바카라사이트 closure of UEA¡¯s London campus, which will cease offering courses from September.

The campus currently has 325 higher education students. It is a joint partnership with INTO University Partnerships, which works with higher education institutions to offer pre-university courses to international students.

When it was opened in 2010, Professor Acton said that improving UEA¡¯s attractiveness to students from abroad was one of its objectives.

However, he told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 general fall in international student numbers was unrelated to 바카라사이트 decision to close. ¡°Our own recruitment has been healthy¡­but 바카라사이트 momentum of 바카라사이트 campus in Norwich¡­makes us really keen to focus our energies here,¡± Professor Acton said.

UEA¡¯s financial accounts show that 바카라사이트 London campus made losses of ?7 million between January 2010 and July 2013, but Professor Acton stated that finances had played no role in its closure.

¡°The financial fruits would have lain ahead,¡± he said. With UEA focusing on its Norwich activities, London had become ¡°a diversion of academic and administrative energy¡±, he added.

INTO will still operate from 바카라사이트 London building, despite 바카라사이트 closure.

chris.parr@tsleducation.com