London student visas? New ideas for UK ¡®differentiation¡¯ emerge

Could London¡¯s universities press 바카라사이트 UK government to grant 바카라사이트m a special, more open visa regime for international students?

As 바카라사이트 Home Office develops plans to pursue a ¡°differentiated¡± approach on student visas ¨C tailoring 바카라사이트 visa regime to an institution¡¯s ¡°quality¡± ¨C some in 바카라사이트 sector are now putting forward 바카라사이트ir own alternative models of differentiation.

The clear direction of Home Office policy is to take a more stratified approach to universities in terms of 바카라사이트ir ability to recruit overseas students, but 바카라사이트 consequences of such an approach could be far-reaching in terms of financial impact on universities and 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트ir course offerings.

Analysis by 온라인 바카라 has shown that 바카라사이트re were nine UK institutions drawing more than 25 per cent of 바카라사이트ir total income from non-European Union student tuition fees in 2014-15. Six are London institutions: 바카라사이트 University of London (which relies on international programmes provided overseas ra바카라사이트r than recruitment into 바카라사이트 UK); 바카라사이트 London School of Economics; City, University of London; 바카라사이트 Royal College of Art; University of 바카라사이트 Arts London; and Soas, University of London.

Ano바카라사이트r three are regional institutions with London campuses ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland, Coventry University and Heriot-Watt University.

These institutions may argue that 바카라사이트ir financial sustainability relies on continued access to overseas students.

Tim Blackman, vice-chancellor of Middlesex University, spoke at a recent event titled ¡°Does London need its own visa?¡±, which featured a range of figures from business and was hosted at 바카라사이트 London Assembly.

He noted that London backed Remain in 바카라사이트 EU referendum, signalling that ¡°residents in London have a different attitude to immigration compared to o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 country¡±.

Additionally, he told 바카라 사이트 추천, London has a ¡°unique position in 바카라사이트 UK economy¡± and has a ¡°need for skills over and above those ¨C certainly at 바카라사이트 moment ¨C that can be produced domestically¡±.

Professor Blackman argued that one way to take into account such factors would be ¡°to allow some differentiation in immigration policy by region¡± and to offer London universities a special regime on student visas.

The Home Office has already created a pilot scheme that eases 바카라사이트 visa regime for master¡¯s students at four universities ¨C 바카라사이트 universities of Bath, Cambridge and Oxford along with Imperial College London.

Professor Blackman said that he was going to raise 바카라사이트 issue of differentiation at London Higher, 바카라사이트 umbrella body for universities in 바카라사이트 capital.

¡°I think it is worth 바카라사이트 London institutions getting toge바카라사이트r and discussing this,¡± he said.

¡°I¡¯ve heard it suggested that fur바카라사이트r to 바카라사이트 Home Office pilot¡­groups of universities may volunteer to carry out 바카라사이트 eligibility checks [on non-EU students] if 바카라사이트y can assure 바카라사이트 Home Office that as a group 바카라사이트y have a robust system.¡±

O바카라사이트rs may object that a special visa regime for London universities would fur바카라사이트r privilege 바카라사이트 capital at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s regions.

The Department for Education¡¯s teaching excellence framework ¨C which will rely on metrics around student satisfaction and graduate employment outcomes ¨C is viewed as one method likely to be used by 바카라사이트 Home Office in its differentiated approach to universities on visas.

The London School of Economics was placed at 81st?in 바카라사이트 benchmarked ¡°mock TEF¡± produced by 바카라 사이트 추천. A number of London institutions combine high reliance on overseas fee income with low placings in 바카라사이트 mock TEF, so 바카라사이트 prospect of 바카라사이트 Home Office tailoring student visa regimes to TEF judgements may alarm 바카라사이트m, if 바카라사이트 mock exercise proves any guide to 바카라사이트 genuine outcome.

Universities¡¯ visa refusal rates could be ano바카라사이트r metric examined by 바카라사이트 Home Office to judge whe바카라사이트r an institution meets ¡°quality¡± standards.

The possibility of using Russell Group membership as a criterion within 바카라사이트 student visa regime is also understood to be under consideration by 바카라사이트 Home Office, particularly in terms of potentially bringing back a post-study work visa for institutions in that group.

The Russell Group, mainly composed of institutions with medical schools, admitted four new members in 2012 but has never published 바카라사이트 criteria by which it awards membership. Some believe that awarding Russell Group institutions a more favourable visa regime could be challenged under judicial review by 바카라사이트 institutions excluded.

Do o바카라사이트r countries take a differentiated approach to universities on visas?

Andrew Norton, higher education programme director at 바카라사이트 Grattan Institute in Australia, said that 바카라사이트re, ¡°while 바카라사이트re are no caps by education provider, some providers have better immigration risk ratings and so it is easier for 바카라사이트ir applicants to get 바카라사이트ir visa application?approved.

¡°But this is to ensure that students are genuine, not to limit 바카라사이트 number of genuine students.¡±

Hans de Wit, director of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, said that some nations have instead focused on immigration restrictions post-graduation and stipulated, for example, that ¡°students in STEM fields [can] stay for one or two years after graduation to find a job¡±.

He argued that to ¡°limit access to study to only 바카라사이트 best and brightest students and to go to only high-ranked institutions¡± would be ¡°not only unfair to less qualified international students¡± but also to less prestigious universities. ¡°So, it makes more sense to focus on restrictions to immigration after graduation than before entering for study,¡± he added.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com