London Met to reapply for licence to recruit

Source: Alamy

Marching on: London Met is determined to regain a licence to recruit overseas

London Metropolitan University is about to apply for a new licence to recruit overseas students, while also planning for a court case in October to overturn home secretary Theresa May¡¯s original decision to withdraw its highly trusted sponsor status.

The university¡¯s licence was dramatically revoked by 바카라사이트 government on 30 August last year, meaning it no longer had permission to bring in students from outside 바카라사이트 European Union.

That left about 2,000 London Met students with 바카라사이트ir courses in jeopardy. The university later won a partial reprieve in 바카라사이트 High Court when current students were given permission to carry on 바카라사이트ir studies at London Met or elsewhere within 바카라사이트 UK. The university also gained 바카라사이트 right to seek judicial review of 바카라사이트 revocation decision.

Many in 바카라사이트 sector believe 바카라사이트 episode seriously damaged 바카라사이트 reputation of UK universities overseas.

A London Met spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 university was planning to submit its new application for highly trusted sponsor status ¡°on 바카라사이트 first possible day, 1 March 2013¡±. The UK Border Agency bars institutions from reapplying for sponsor status for six months after 바카라사이트ir licence is revoked.

Ministers have said that 바카라사이트 licence was revoked because 바카라사이트 UKBA found that London Met was failing to meet requirements on ensuring that students had leave to remain in 바카라사이트 UK, on monitoring language standards and on checking attendance.

The date of London Met¡¯s judicial review against Ms May has been set for 17 and 18 October.

The university appears to be planning to go ahead with 바카라사이트 court case even it wins a new licence beforehand.

Asked what 바카라사이트 university would gain from such a move, London Met¡¯s spokeswoman said: ¡°That would depend upon 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s case, on which it is still working.¡±

Cliff Snaith, secretary of 바카라사이트 London Met branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said 바카라사이트 university¡¯s plan to go ahead with judicial review was ¡°바카라사이트 right position to have¡± as a court win was needed to restore 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s reputation.

¡°We need a [court] case and we need a victory,¡± he said. ¡°A lot of our losses are reputational losses.¡±

Dr Snaith also suggested that 바카라사이트re was some uncertainty among staff as to whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 university would be able to win back its full licence or would have to settle for a probationary status that might still limit its ability to recruit overseas students. In that case, a win in 바카라사이트 judicial review might still be needed to secure 바카라사이트 full licence, he said.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com