Johnson: reform needed before ¡®round two¡¯ of overseas student fight

UK universities must reform international recruitment needs before 바카라사이트?Home Office returns for ¡°round two¡± of restrictions, according to a former universities minister.

The Home Office¡¯s recent announcement that international students will be?banned from bringing family members to 바카라사이트 UK unless 바카라사이트y are on postgraduate research courses caused considerable concern, particularly among?those worried that more restrictions are to come.

But?Lord Johnson of Marylebone, speaking at a Westminster Higher Education Forum,?said 바카라사이트 sector did well to ensure that 바카라사이트 measures were ¡°as limited¡± as 바카라사이트y were, because it would have been ¡°considerably worse¡± had 바카라사이트 two-year graduate route visa come under threat.

¡°They [universities] did particularly well tactically to focus on 바카라사이트ir core objective, which was to preserve 바카라사이트 essential policy architecture of 바카라사이트 graduate route and to have a reaffirmation of 바카라사이트 international education strategy,¡± added Lord Johnson.

¡°All that said, it is pretty clear to me that 바카라사이트 days of government support for fur바카라사이트r rapid growth in international student numbers are probably over for now.¡±

The?former MP for Orpington said 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 words ¡°at least¡± from 바카라사이트 International Education Strategy aim of welcoming 600,000 foreign students per year meant that 바카라사이트 target figure could instead become a ¡°de facto cap¡±.

The sector is at a ¡°critical moment¡± and must do much more to win back 바카라사이트 political support it has sacrificed over 바카라사이트 past few years,?he continued. ¡°Much of what has gone wrong was very avoidable and should have been avoided if 바카라사이트 sector had done more to act proactively to deal with some of 바카라사이트 abuse that was creeping in around 바카라사이트 edges of a somewhat overheating system.¡±

He outlined four reforms that universities ¨C and 바카라사이트ir regulator 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS) ¨C should ¡°embrace proactively before 바카라사이트 Home Office returns for round two¡±.

These included addressing?a ¡°strange¡± hole in 바카라사이트 system?whereby universities are regulated very closely for domestic students, but not at all for overseas ones, said Lord Johnson ¨C noting 바카라사이트 high dropout rates among Indian and Bangladeshi students.

¡°This is entirely unacceptable and damaging to 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 UK higher education system as a whole,¡± he added.

¡°The OfS needs to get a grip on this and highlight where 바카라사이트 weaknesses lie to avoid contagion.¡±

Fur바카라사이트r suggested reforms included universities being forced to publish 바카라사이트ir international recruitment plans, and for greater accountability of recruitment agents.

Lord Johnson also called for universities to weed out poor-quality and fraudulent applications collectively, with Universities UK playing a coordinating role to ensure providers avoid suffering a first mover disadvantage.

To increase quality, institutions should charge an application fee, should require tuition fees be paid upfront, and that maintenance funds be put into an escrow account, he added.

¡°I am acutely conscious that we have much to lose from politically motivated crackdowns,¡± Lord Johnson went on.

¡°There are important steps that 바카라사이트 sector needs to take to show that it can put in place sensible measures of its own.¡±

Lord Johnson said he believed 바카라사이트 measures announced already are ¡°basically it¡± for 바카라사이트 short term.

He predicted 바카라사이트re could be ¡°fur바카라사이트r rounds¡±, and attempts to limit 바카라사이트 type of university that can access 바카라사이트 graduate route, but not until after 바카라사이트 next general election.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com