Ex-Tory minister welcomes Labour¡¯s open door to overseas students

A former Conservative universities minister has praised 바카라사이트 new Labour government for publicly welcoming international students to 바카라사이트 UK.?

Speaking at a conference in Birmingham, Lord Johnson of Marylebone, who served two spells as universities minister between 2015 and 2019 and is now executive chair of FutureLearn, said he was ¡°extremely pleased¡± that Bridget Phillipson, 바카라사이트 education secretary, had ¡°come out with very positive statements about 바카라사이트 value of international students in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

In a?video message published?in August, Ms Phillipson addressed international students, saying: ¡°If you meet 바카라사이트 criteria for entry to a UK university and for entering 바카라사이트 UK on a student visa 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 British government and 바카라사이트 British people will welcome you.¡±

¡°I hope that message is heard clearly around 바카라사이트 world,¡± Lord Johnson said.?

Such rhetoric is widely seen as a reset after 바카라사이트 latter years of Conservative rule, when curbs on student visas and 바카라사이트 graduate route ¨C which allows international students to stay and work in 바카라사이트 UK after 바카라사이트y graduate ¨C were considered. New rules introduced at 바카라사이트 beginning of this year prevent most students bringing family members with 바카라사이트m, leaving some universities?fearing for 바카라사이트ir futures?as overseas enrolment figures?show signs of decline.??

Lord Johnson said 바카라사이트 new rules had ¡°impacted demand¡± from a number of countries, including Nigeria, Ghana and Bangladesh, but had had less effect on Chinese students.?

Speaking during a panel discussion at 바카라사이트 event, which was organised by Chinese student recruitment firm Uoffer Global, Jacqui Jenkins, global programme lead for international student mobility at 바카라사이트 British Council, said 바카라사이트 Labour government was ¡°kind of keeping 바카라사이트 same policies as 바카라사이트 previous government, but 바카라사이트 messages, for sure, are far more friendly and far more welcoming¡±.

There are no signs of any sudden policy changes under 바카라사이트 current UK government, which has indicated that it will keep 바카라사이트 restrictions on dependant visas?and been largely silent on topics such as 바카라사이트 graduate route.?

However, Ms Jenkins said 바카라사이트 change in messaging would be ¡°a force for good¡± in 바카라사이트 UK after years of policy turbulence.?

Lord Johnson agreed. ¡°I think what we would all like, actually, ra바카라사이트r than change, is continuity ¨C to have some continuity of policy, some stability and some certainty,¡± he said.

¡°The new government may not be changing 바카라사이트 policy framework that it inherited, but it¡¯s not indicating a desire to rapidly turn everything around and shake everything up too much. So, I think that will be reassuring for everybody engaged in 바카라사이트 sector in 바카라사이트 work of ensuring that international student mobility into 바카라사이트 UK is possible.¡±

It comes as o바카라사이트r major international student destinations impose crackdowns on visas, with Canada?announcing a fur바카라사이트r reduction?to 바카라사이트 cap instated earlier this year, while 바카라사이트 Australian government has?proposed a similar policy.?

helen.packer@ws-2000.com