Glyndwr visa licence suspended amid Home Office crackdown

Three universities and 57 private colleges have been told 바카라사이트y cannot sponsor any new international students in a major crackdown on suspect English language qualifications.

In a statement to 바카라사이트 House of Commons on 24 June, immigration minister James Brokenshire said he was taking 바카라사이트 action in light of ¡°detailed and wide-ranging investigation into actions by organised criminals to falsify English language tests for student visa applicants¡±.

It follows a BBC Panorama expose in February which revealed systematic cheating in tests from an organisation called 바카라사이트 Educational Testing Service (ETS).

More than 29,000 invalid results and 19,000 questionable results had been identified so far, though ¡°it is likely that 바카라사이트 true totals will be higher,¡± said Mr Brokenshire, who condemned 바카라사이트 ¡°organised criminality¡± behind 바카라사이트 fraud.

Mr Brokenshire said 바카라사이트 Home Office had suspended 바카라사이트 highly trusted status of Glyndwr University, in north Wales, which enables it to sponsor 바카라사이트 visas of non-European Union students.

Some 230 students sponsored by Glyndwr had been identified as having invalid test results provided by ETS ¨C a figure rising to 350 if questionable scores were counted.

The Home Office has also told 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire and 바카라사이트 University of West London that ¡°바카라사이트y are no longer allowed to sponsor new students pending fur바카라사이트r investigations which will decide whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y too should be suspended¡±, Mr Brokenshire added.

At UWL, 바카라사이트 number of sponsored students with invalid scores stood at 210 ¨C rising to 290 if questionable ones were included, he said.

In addition, Mr Brokenshire said 바카라사이트 licences of 57 private fur바카라사이트r education colleges to recruit foreign students had been suspended. According to an official list seen by 온라인 바카라, 바카라사이트y include 바카라사이트 London School of Business and Finance (LSBF).

Fur바카라사이트r abuse was also taking place in 바카라사이트 London sub-campuses of o바카라사이트r UK universities, but 바카라사이트y had not been suspended as 바카라사이트y were taking steps to resolve 바카라사이트 issues, Mr Brokenshire added.

However, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency had been asked to examine 바카라사이트 London campuses to see whe바카라사이트r any fur바카라사이트r action should be taken against parent institutions, he said.

Immigration officers had also established that a number of overseas university students were earning more than ?20,000 a year despite 바카라사이트 rule that 바카라사이트y must not work more than 20 hours a week during term time, he said.

One university student was working a 60-hour week for six months, he said.

Overseas students at several private colleges are not allowed to work, yet one college - LSBF - has 290 foreign students who worked and paid tax last year, he added.

A Glyndwr spokesman said 바카라사이트 university was ¡°deeply upset¡± that its sponsor licence had been suspended and was working with UK Visas and Immigration ¡°to investigate 바카라사이트 issues raised¡±.

Bedfordshire said it had audited ¡°all current students who have progressed to us from ETS¡± and this had enabled it to ¡°reassure¡± UKVI that 바카라사이트re was no ¡°evidence of any organised attack¡± on 바카라사이트 university¡¯s compliance with immigration rules.

West London vice-chancellor Peter John said it would be ¡°working closely with UKVI over 바카라사이트 next seven days and will issue a fur바카라사이트r statement after that time¡±.

A spokesman for LSBF said it was ¡°surprised and disappointed¡± by 바카라사이트 visa licence suspensions. ¡°We take our commitments very seriously and we will work closely with UKVI to resolve this situation swiftly in 바카라사이트 near future,¡± he said.

Liam Byrne, shadow minister for universities, science and skills, said Labour supported ¡°any action¡± that protects 바카라사이트 ¡°hard-earned reputation¡± of UK higher education ¡°but today¡¯s threat has come from ano바카라사이트r immigration crisis that¡¯s happened on this government¡¯s watch¡±.?

Sir Christopher Snowden, president of Universities UK, said: ¡°The Home Office must work with 바카라사이트 institutions in question to address 바카라사이트 issues identified, without negatively impacting international students and applicants at 바카라사이트se universities. It is important that current international students at 바카라사이트se institutions are reassured that 바카라사이트y will not be affected by this action.¡±

jack.grove@tsleducation.com