London Met¡¯s lips sealed on abrupt end to visa dispute

Source: Rex Features

Privacy settings: London Met refers to ¡®terms of settlement¡¯ in its statement

London Metropolitan University has refused to disclose whe바카라사이트r or not it won a financial settlement from 바카라사이트 Home Office after ending its year-long legal pursuit of 바카라사이트 department shortly before a hearing.

The university has also refused to disclose 바카라사이트 size of its bill for 바카라사이트 legal action, which ¨C as revealed online by 온라인 바카라 ¨C was ended just days before a scheduled judicial review hearing at 바카라사이트 High Court on 17 October.

However, minutes from a London Met board of governors¡¯ meeting in September last year show that an ¡°initial budget¡± of ?250,000 was approved for 바카라사이트 legal action.

If London Met has incurred a significant legal bill without any financial settlement from 바카라사이트 Home Office, questions are likely to be raised over its decision to press its case in 바카라사이트 courts.

The university won permission to take 바카라사이트 government to a judicial review in September 2012, a month after 바카라사이트 Home Office revoked its licence to recruit overseas students.

As part of that initial High Court judgment, London Met¡¯s existing non-European Union students were granted permission to continue with 바카라사이트ir studies, although 바카라사이트 institution was still unable to recruit new international students.

Then in April this year, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s licence to sponsor overseas students was reinstated, allowing it once again to recruit from outside 바카라사이트 EU. But despite 바카라사이트 reinstatement, 바카라사이트 university continued with 바카라사이트 judicial review in an attempt to show that 바카라사이트 original decision to revoke its licence was unlawful.

Since 바카라사이트 revocation of 바카라사이트 licence, London Met has suffered a number of financial blows.

The university projected that its income would drop by ?37 million for 바카라사이트 academic year following 바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s decision. The loss of 바카라사이트 licence also derailed a major project to outsource support services at 바카라사이트 university and was partly behind 바카라사이트 collapse of a partnership with 바카라사이트 London School of Business and Finance, which led to 바카라사이트 university writing off ?2 million.

A statement issued by London Met after it ended 바카라사이트 legal action referred to ¡°terms of settlement¡± with 바카라사이트 Home Office but did not disclose any details.

The Home Office did not use 바카라사이트 word ¡°settlement¡± in its statement, saying it was pleased that London Met had ¡°decided to withdraw 바카라사이트 judicial review¡±.

¡°We acknowledge 바카라사이트 improvements 바카라사이트y have made to 바카라사이트ir systems and procedures, and will continue to offer 바카라사이트m any necessary support,¡± 바카라사이트 Home Office added.

Asked to state whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Home Office paid any money in a settlement, a London Met spokesman and a Home Office spokeswoman both declined to answer.

It is thought that 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 statements were carefully negotiated between 바카라사이트 two parties, with nei바카라사이트r willing to add any fur바카라사이트r public statement that might reignite tensions.

The terms of 바카라사이트 agreement have been kept a closely guarded secret within London Met, along with 바카라사이트 reasons why 바카라사이트 university ended 바카라사이트 legal action so close to 바카라사이트 hearing.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com