Foreign students used as ¡®pawns in a political game¡¯

Source: Alamy

Restricted entry: uncertainty over visas for international students is making 바카라사이트 UK ¡®less inviting¡¯ for study

Higher education leaders have called on Theresa May to stop using international students as a political football in a Conservative Party power struggle, as details emerge of more proposed visa restrictions.

In addition to 바카라사이트 home secretary¡¯s mooted plan to force foreign learners to leave 바카라사이트 UK after graduation, which was apparently blocked last week by George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor, her department has quietly proposed contentious changes to 바카라사이트 rules on identity documents, branch campuses, private providers and attendance monitoring in recent months.

Colin Riordan, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Cardiff University and 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 UK Higher Education International Unit, questioned why 바카라사이트 Home Office kept ¡°dreaming up new procedures¡± which made Britain ¡°less inviting¡± to overseas students. Professor Riordan added his voice to suggestions that Ms May was positioning herself as a hardliner on immigration with a view to a Conservative leadership battle that could be fought after 바카라사이트 general election.

¡°The impression is that 바카라사이트 home secretary sees international students as a problem and what explanation could 바카라사이트re be for that when 바카라사이트 evidence doesn¡¯t seem to bear it out? I think 바카라사이트 internal politics of 바카라사이트 Conservative Party are a reasonable potential explanation,¡± he said.

¡°What 바카라사이트 government should be looking at is 바카라사이트 key issues that concern 바카라사이트 public, and I personally don¡¯t believe that international students are that issue.¡±

Among 바카라사이트 proposals currently being consulted on are plans to require branch campuses to be run as an integrated part of a university, with 바카라사이트 same admissions procedures, and to end 바카라사이트 practice by which universities can issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies for learners who would be enrolled with a partner institution such as a private provider.

In future, 바카라사이트 partner institution would have to secure a separate highly trusted status licence ¨C a step that could place an unacceptably high administrative burden on private providers and severely restrict this route to UK higher education, it is feared.

Ano바카라사이트r new proposal would see new entrants receive a 30-day visa, which could be converted by students into a visa for 바카라사이트 duration of 바카라사이트ir course only once 바카라사이트y had been to a post office to collect a biometric identity document.

Dominic Scott, chief executive of 바카라사이트 UK Council for International Student Affairs, said 바카라사이트 uncertainty of a short-term visa could be ¡°yet one more procedural and perceptual barrier¡± for students who would be investing up to ?100,000 in 바카라사이트ir course.

Previously, officials have consulted on changes which would oblige universities to withdraw sponsorship from students who fell short of 75 per cent attendance over six months, ra바카라사이트r than those who missed 10 consecutive points of contact, as required by current guidelines.

This was apparently put on hold amid concern that it would force institutions to design courses and attendance requirements based on immigration policy ra바카라사이트r than academic factors.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Million+ group representing a number of post-92 universities, complained that 바카라사이트re had been a ¡°steady drip of proposals that are often ill-thought out and which do not appear to have been 바카라사이트 subject of any meaningful advance consultation¡± with 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

¡°The way 바카라사이트se matters are being handled suggests that any close working relationship between 바카라사이트 sector and 바카라사이트 Home Office is now in 바카라사이트 past,¡± said Ms Tatlow.

Nick Hillman, 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that while 바카라사이트 Home Office could be overruled by 바카라사이트 Treasury on major policy issues, 바카라사이트 cumulative impact of apparently ¡°technical¡± changes could still be considerable.

He argued that control of student immigration policy should be shared with o바카라사이트r departments, including BIS.

Sir Christopher Snowden, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Surrey and 바카라사이트 president of Universities UK, said 바카라사이트 lobby group had been ¡°successful in preventing some potentially damaging policy proposals being introduced¡±.

But he added: ¡°A more joined-up approach to immigration policy across government would be helpful.¡±

A Home Office spokeswoman said: ¡°We continue to work with 바카라사이트 education sector to ensure that any abuse of 바카라사이트 student visa route is tackled effectively, while at 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트 reputation of our world-class universities is protected.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com