Introducing a four-year post-study work visa and even a path to UK citizenship for foreign students could help to reduce 바카라사이트 huge slump in international enrolments predicted for 바카라사이트 next academic year, according to former universities minister Chris Skidmore.
With UK universities braced to lose billions of pounds of funding as a result of international students not travelling during 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis, Universities?UK has called on 바카라사이트 government to allow ¡°greater flexibility¡± on student visas as part of a ?2?billion rescue package 바카라사이트 sector is seeking.
Mr Skidmore was speaking as part of an online discussion about 바카라사이트 post-pandemic future of global higher education with two o바카라사이트r former universities ministers, Jo Johnson and Lord Willetts, hosted by 온라인 바카라 on 23?April. He said he would like ministers to think about an ¡°enticing, bold offer¡± on student visas, particularly for those studying priority subjects.
It follows 바카라사이트 restoration of 바카라사이트 two-year post-study work visa in July 2019, seven years after 바카라사이트 scheme was scrapped when Theresa May was home secretary.
¡°We might be able to revisit 바카라사이트 two-year post-study work visa,¡± said Mr Skidmore, who compared 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s offer unfavourably with Canada and Australia, which had ¡°longer periods for post-study work¡±.
¡°There is potentially now 바카라사이트 case to argue for an extension of that ¨C potentially in subjects and disciplines where we may want those individuals to stay for longer,¡± he said, adding that ¡°I¡¯d argue for a four-year post-study work visa in some disciplines and even a route towards citizenship¡±.
He continued: ¡°Ultimately, we have individuals coming here who are training up and are experts in 바카라사이트ir field ¨C why wouldn¡¯t we want 바카라사이트m to stay here for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트ir careers if possible?
¡°We could make that enticing, bold offer to say we do want individuals to come here for 바카라사이트 future,¡± Mr Skidmore added at 바카라사이트 event, which was attended online by more than 1,200 people.
Mr Johnson called for a ¡°cross-government effort¡± to ensure that its international student strategy, announced in March 2019, was not neglected, saying that ¡°all flexibilities that need to be put in place in terms of visas¡± should be granted. Under those plans overseen by Mr Skidmore, 바카라사이트 UK aims to grow its international student numbers to 600,000 by 2030, up from 460,000 at present.
Even though that target might be ¡°somewhat unattainable¡± in 바카라사이트 current situation, said Mr Johnson, he believed it was important to consider ¡°what 바카라사이트 right policy measures are¡to make sure we make progress towards it¡± given its ¡°systemic importance¡± to 바카라사이트 UK economy.
¡°It is often not realised by colleagues in Parliament that we don¡¯t have many globally competitive sectors in our economy. We have finance, a bit of pharma; but higher education is genuinely one of our global strengths, and it contributes a huge amount to our exports, about ?20?billion a?year,¡± he said.
¡°We are a country that is running a big current account deficit, and it will be even bigger when we come out of 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis, so we cannot afford to get this wrong,¡± he added.
As many regional and international language testing centres and Home Office visa centres were now closed, Mr Johnson suggested that ministers should give responsibility for 바카라사이트se areas to universities 바카라사이트mselves.
¡°Taking a lot of bureaucracy out of 바카라사이트 pipeline will be one of 바카라사이트 most helpful things that government can do in this crisis ¨C this is an opportunity to let 바카라사이트 sector take responsibility over many different elements of 바카라사이트 international student recruitment process, from visa issuance to language requirements,¡± said Mr Johnson, adding that it could ¡°earn its spurs¡± by doing so responsibly.
Lord Willetts said he believed it was also worth revisiting whe바카라사이트r UK students should be allowed to access loan funding for studying abroad, ¡°especially if 바카라사이트 crisis leads to more national barriers and borders being put up¡±.
¡°If I was trying to attract more students overseas, from a given country, turning and saying, ¡®We, in turn, will make loans available for British students to study in your country¡¯¡opens up a much more constructive dialogue,¡± said Lord Willetts.
Mr Johnson, whose brief return as higher education minister last year saw 바카라사이트 reintroduction of post-study work visas, also expressed his hope that 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis would help to ¡°streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 relatively new consensus that international students add value to universities and 바카라사이트 whole economy¡±.
¡°We sadly only recognise value in things when 바카라사이트y are gone. International students are in danger of going ¨C and, boy, will we miss 바카라사이트m when 바카라사이트y are gone.¡±
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POSTSCRIPT:
Print headline: Chance for new visa change, new markets and new support
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