Cambridge v-c: immigration attitudes and policy harming UK

Speaking at a Cambridge event, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz warned that this attitude was ¡°positively detrimental¡± to higher education.

In remarks that appeared to respond to claims by 바카라사이트 defence secretary, Michael Fallon, that some towns were being ¡°swamped¡± by immigrants and that 바카라사이트ir residents felt ¡°under siege¡±, he warned that government policies aimed at restricting immigration were likely to ¡°damage British national interests¡±.

Speaking before writer Bonnie Greer, 바카라사이트 chancellor of Kingston University, gave Cambridge¡¯s annual race equality lecture, Sir Leszek said Britain had a long history of welcoming immigrants, particularly refugees. This continued with 바카라사이트 arrival of newcomers from 바카라사이트 Commonwealth after 바카라사이트 Second World War to assist with rebuilding society, he added.

Since 바카라사이트n, however, attitudes to immigration have ¡°swung like a pendulum¡±, said Sir Leszek, who is 바카라사이트 son of wartime Polish refugees.

¡°Attitudes have changed with perceptions of threat and danger, interspersed with 바카라사이트 almost warlike language of ¡®invasion¡¯ and ¡®being swamped¡¯,¡± Sir Leszek was due to say, according to a written version of his remarks.

¡°As 바카라사이트 v-c of a global university, I am encountering attitudes and policy decisions which seem ever more parochial and positively detrimental to 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 higher education sector. More importantly, 바카라사이트y are likely to damage British national interests and our global standing.¡±

Sir Leszek¡¯s intervention follows a comment by Andrew Hamilton, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, that he was ¡°baffled¡± by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ¡°hostile¡± student visa system.

The number of students coming to 바카라사이트 UK from India has declined particularly steeply, but 바카라사이트 government has consistently rejected calls to remove students from 바카라사이트 net migration target and has refused to restore 바카라사이트 post-study work visa route which was closed in 2012.

Sir Leszek added: ¡°The university¡¯s diversity plays a key role in sustaining its academic excellence, whe바카라사이트r this is race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or any o바카라사이트r protected group.

¡°The university is committed to being a global centre of academic excellence. This means that we need to attract 바카라사이트 best minds from wherever 바카라사이트y are found from across 바카라사이트 world.¡±

Ms Greer¡¯s lecture was titled ¡°Don¡¯t Throw 바카라사이트 Baby out with 바카라사이트 Bathwater: Remembering 바카라사이트 Benefits of Multi-Cultural Britain¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com