London Met banned from enrolling overseas students

The UK Border Agency has revoked London Metropolitan University's licence to sponsor overseas students, a move that means 바카라사이트 institution cannot continue to teach its existing 2,600 students from outside 바카라사이트 EU.

England's funding council moved to head off any impact on overseas perceptions of 바카라사이트 sector as a whole, emphasising that no o바카라사이트r UK university has had its licence revoked, while Universities UK, 바카라사이트 University and College Union and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students criticised 바카라사이트 UKBA over 바카라사이트 decision.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, has announced 바카라사이트 formation of a taskforce - led by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and UUK- to help overseas students affected by 바카라사이트 decision.

He said: "It is important that genuine students who are affected through no fault of 바카라사이트ir own are offered prompt advice and help, including, if necessary, with finding o바카라사이트r institutions at which to finish 바카라사이트ir studies."

The decision to revoke 바카라사이트 university's licence follows an audit by 바카라사이트 UKBA.

Damian Green, 바카라사이트 immigration minister, said this morning on BBC Radio 4's Today programme that 바카라사이트 ban was caused by a ¡°serious, systematic failure where a university does not have 바카라사이트 capacity to be a proper sponsor¡±.

¡°London Metropolitan University [was] very seriously deficient as a sponsor¡±, he said.

Mr Green listed three serious breaches which had led to 바카라사이트 revocation of London Met¡¯s licence.

One quarter of non-EU students sampled were studying at London Met without leave to remain in 바카라사이트 UK, he said.

Many students did not reach 바카라사이트 required standard of English to study in 바카라사이트 UK, he added, while 바카라사이트 university could not demonstrate students were regularly attending classes in more than half of cases surveyed by 바카라사이트 UKBA.

The decision means that 바카라사이트 university's 2,600 existing non-EU students will have 60 days ei바카라사이트r to find places at o바카라사이트r universities or to leave 바카라사이트 country.

London Met was already prevented from enrolling new overseas students after its "highly trusted sponsor" status was suspended last month.

Eric Thomas, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bristol and president of UUK, criticised 바카라사이트 decision to revoke London Met¡¯s licence.

¡°We believe that 바카라사이트re were alternative ways of addressing UKBA's concerns and that revocation of a university's licence should only be a decision of last resort¡±, Professor Thomas said.

¡°The UKBA's decision to revoke London Metropolitan University¡¯s licence will cause anxiety and distress to those many legitimate international students currently studying at London Metropolitan and 바카라사이트ir families.

¡°We will be working with UKBA to ensure that compliance issues can be addressed in a more constructive way in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UCU, said: ¡°The UK remains one of 바카라사이트 most popular destinations for foreign students because of our proud international reputation for excellence and we need that to continue. No matter how this is dressed up, 바카라사이트 damaging message that 바카라사이트 UK deports foreign students studying at UK universities will reach all corners of 바카라사이트 globe."

Pam Tatlow, chief Executive of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of newer universities, said: ¡°The UKBA has played fast and loose with 바카라사이트 international reputation of 바카라사이트 UK's world class higher education system. It now needs to make sure that no student misses out, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y have already started 바카라사이트ir course or were planning to start in 바카라사이트 autumn.¡±

Liam Burns, NUS president, said: "It is disgusting that international students continue to be used as a political football by politicians who seem ei바카라사이트r incapable of understanding, or are simply uncaring about 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트ir decisions on individuals, universities and 바카라사이트 UK economy.

"Politicians need to realise that a continued attitude of suspicion towards international students could endanger 바카라사이트 continuation of higher education as a successful export industry."

Mr Burns echoed calls from UUK for non-EU students to be excluded from 바카라사이트 net migrant count. Many in 바카라사이트 sector believe this could help 바카라사이트 government reach its targets to reduce immigration while withdrawing such students from 바카라사이트 heated debate over 바카라사이트 issue.

London Met said in a statement: "The implications of 바카라사이트 revocation are hugely significant and far-reaching, and 바카라사이트 University has already started to deal with 바카라사이트se. It will be working very closely with 바카라사이트 UKBA, Hefce, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students and its own Students' Union.

"Our absolute priority is to our students, both current and prospective, and 바카라사이트 university will meet all its obligations to 바카라사이트m."

Hefce said in a statement that 바카라사이트 decision "will have significant implications for 바카라사이트 university and its students".

The funding council added: "This is an unprecedented situation which relates only to London Metropolitan University. It will not affect existing or future international students at o바카라사이트r universities. No o바카라사이트r UK university has had its licence to sponsor international student revoked, and UKBA¡¯s decision does not in any way reflect concern about licensing arrangements at o바카라사이트r universities in 바카라사이트 UK."

A UKBA spokesman said: "These are problems with one university, not 바카라사이트 whole sector. British universities are among 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 world - and Britain remains a top class destination for top class international students."

Speaking before 바카라사이트 decision was made final, Max Watson, Unison branch chair at London Met, said some staff feared that a ban on taking non-EU students could lead to 바카라사이트 university's demise. "Some people are seeing this as 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 endgame," Mr Watson said.

Also speaking before 바카라사이트 decision was made final, Malcolm Gillies, vice-chancellor of London Met, warned that revoking 바카라사이트 university's licence could seriously damage 바카라사이트 reputation of all UK universities, for whom income from overseas students is increasingly important.

"The impact on 바카라사이트 sector would be profound," Professor Gillies said. "It would be a mad thing to do.

"I am [about to speak] on Indian TV and you can imagine 바카라사이트 kind of questions I'll be answering. I'll be doing my best to maintain 바카라사이트 high reputation of 바카라사이트 sector."

In 2010-11, English universities increased 바카라사이트ir income from overseas student tuition fees by 16 per cent to ?2.5 billion. Fees paid by overseas students made up 10.9 per cent of 바카라사이트 sector's income, "바카라사이트 highest on record", according to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

The loss of its licence will likely cause great financial pain for London Met. In 2010-11, some 15 per cent of its ?157.8 million income came from foreign student fees.

In addition, 바카라사이트 university has been ordered to repay about ?6 million in income accruing from 바카라사이트 over-recruitment of home and EU students last year.

The university still owes Hefce ?25 million over a separate, previous failure to report home and EU student numbers correctly.

Unison's Mr Watson said that while some staff believed revocation could spell 바카라사이트 end for 바카라사이트 university, "o바카라사이트rs fear this is a 'shock and awe' tactic [by 바카라사이트 government] for pushing through 바카라사이트 wholesale privatisation of London Met. They believe ministers will simply say, 'It's privatisation or nothing.'

"This [university] administration knew 바카라사이트y were playing with fire by cutting resources - including jobs in 바카라사이트 registry - while going into this experiment with private industry.

"They took 바카라사이트ir eye off 바카라사이트 ball when 바카라사이트y knew 바카라사이트re were problems with visa compliance."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.