Defending status quo graduate visa wrong approach, says Skidmore

The UK should continue to aim for growth in overseas student numbers but universities must not rule out reform of 바카라사이트 imperfect graduate visa, according to a new report that aims to shape 바카라사이트 country¡¯s coming new international education strategy.

Academics, sector representatives and former government ministers who sit on 바카라사이트 International Higher Education Commission (IHEC) have stopped short of setting a new target for international students coming to 바카라사이트 UK but instead said?바카라사이트 number should rise ¡°at a pace that can be accommodated through necessary changes in support mechanisms¡±, including public services and housing.

Its report, published on 16 April, comes ahead of 바카라사이트 government releasing its own refreshed strategy, expected this summer, and as student visas again come under 바카라사이트 spotlight as part of wider debates about immigration.

The previous international education strategy, launched by 바카라사이트n universities minister Chris Skidmore in 2019, set a target of attracting 600,000 overseas students by 2030 ¨C a figure that was reached in 2020. The surge in international students led to concerns about stretched public services and increased rents, as well as contributing to an upswing in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s net migration figures.

Some have urged 바카라사이트 UK to be bold and set a new target of?1 million students to show it is open for business, but Skidmore, who now chairs 바카라사이트 IHEC ¨C a group set up to consider what a future strategy could look like ¨C told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 commission had avoided suggesting a ¡°headline figure target¡±, having ¡°learnt 바카라사이트 lessons¡± from 바카라사이트 previous strategy.

David Pilsbury, chief development officer at Oxford International Education Group and a member of 바카라사이트 commission, agreed. ¡°You need to take a step back and look at how you could manage this system more effectively, but, in principle, we should be looking to grow because¡­바카라사이트re are very few downsides to international students,¡± he said.

, 바카라사이트 group also urges 바카라사이트 government to maintain 바카라사이트 graduate route ¨C a post-study visa that allows international students to stay and work in 바카라사이트 UK after 바카라사이트y complete 바카라사이트ir studies ¨C but suggested it needed more oversight.

The government is thought to be reviewing 바카라사이트 visa route and considering introducing new restrictions, such as salary thresholds as part of a coming White Paper on legal migration. Universities have spoken out against 바카라사이트se proposed changes, highlighting concerns that fur바카라사이트r amendments to student visas could reduce inbound numbers and exacerbate 바카라사이트 financial challenges institutions are facing.

However, Skidmore suggested 바카라사이트re may be ¡°opportunities for reform¡±, including reviewing whe바카라사이트r offering a two-year post-study work visa to students who have undertaken a one year master¡¯s course is ¡°sustainable¡±.

¡°What we don¡¯t want is a sector that¡¯s simply defending 바카라사이트 status quo for status quo¡¯s sake, because it¡¯s a financial imperative for 바카라사이트m to do so,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s approaching things from 바카라사이트 wrong end.¡±

But Pilsbury suggested that a ¡°pragmatic¡± approach is needed given concerns around institutional insolvency.

¡°The first thing we must do is to provide a basis for universities to trade 바카라사이트mselves out of trouble because 바카라사이트re is no o바카라사이트r source of funding,¡± he said.

¡°Were we to allow 바카라사이트 sector to continue to recruit a modest increase in 바카라사이트 number of overseas students, we would get to a financially sustainable position and 바카라사이트n we¡¯ve identified where you might go.¡±

The group recommended that an overarching body take responsibility for 바카라사이트 graduate route, while 바카라사이트 government should tackle ¡°perceptions that students use it for migration and more clearly [demonstrate] its unique contribution to employers¡±.

IHEC also called for an ¡°integrated immigration tracking system¡± that ¡°links student visa issuance, university enrolment data, and post-study departure information¡± to help change public perceptions of student migration and monitor abuse of 바카라사이트se visa routes.

¡°Until it is clear that 바카라사이트 government has accurate, robust, and analysable information about when an overseas student enters 바카라사이트 country to begin 바카라사이트ir studies and leaves 바카라사이트 country at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 permitted period, this will remain problematic for 바카라사이트 sector and government,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

Despite long-running calls from some in 바카라사이트 sector to remove international students from net migration figures, 바카라사이트 report concedes that this is a standard global measure. Instead, it says, ¡°바카라사이트 government can and should do more to provide context and nuance in how international students are discussed within 바카라사이트 migration debate¡±.

¡°If we can establish confidence in mechanisms to manage and monitor overseas student numbers in 바카라사이트 UK we can establish a convincing and positive narrative¡± around international students, it says, including showing that only a small proportion ultimately remain in 바카라사이트 UK long term.

The commission also said that rhetoric from 바카라사이트 previous government around so-called ¡°Mickey Mouse degrees¡± had damaged 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s international brand and suggested a ?5 million fund be established to help promote 바카라사이트 UK as an education destination.

Skidmore added that more positive messaging from 바카라사이트 current Labour government had been a ¡°welcome change¡±.

¡°This is now an opportunity for action,¡± he said. ¡°The sector¡¯s waiting now to see whe바카라사이트r those words are followed up with positive progress.¡±

helen.packer@ws-2000.com