¡®Mindless¡¯ overseas student crackdown ¡®would kill levelling up¡¯

It is ¡°hard to imagine¡± a policy more likely to torpedo 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s higher education policy goals than a ¡°mindless crackdown¡± on international student enrolment, former universities minister Lord Johnson of Marylebone has warned.

After student migration to 바카라사이트 UK hit record levels ¨C albeit on 바카라사이트 back of pent-up demand that built up during 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic ¨C reported that prime minister Rishi Sunak was considering allowing only ¡°elite¡± universities to recruit overseas learners.

Lord Johnson told 온라인 바카라 that o바카라사이트r countries ¡°look with envy at 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s appeal to global talent¡± and that it would be reckless to squander this.

¡°Higher education is one of our few globally competitive sectors and demand for places reflects its high standing in countries that are central to our post-Brexit positioning, including India,¡± he said.

¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine a policy more likely to harm UK ambitions to become a science superpower and to level up across 바카라사이트 country than a mindless crackdown on international students.¡±

One option would be for 바카라사이트 government to tie 바카라사이트 issuing of student visas to 바카라사이트 new standards regime being operated by 바카라사이트 Office for Students, which sets thresholds for graduate employment, as well as student retention and completion. Similar plans were floated in 2016, when Theresa May was prime minister, but were never implemented.

But critics countered that if 바카라사이트re were poorer quality courses in UK universities, 바카라사이트 focus should be on improving 바카라사이트m, not on restricting access.

¡°The idea that some courses are so bad we should block revenue-generating foreign students from 바카라사이트m, while still being happy for 바카라사이트 taxpayer to fund UK students to attend 바카라사이트m in unlimited numbers, simply doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Iain Mansfield, head of education and science at 바카라사이트 Policy Exchange thinktank, and a former adviser to Conservative ministers, .

Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King's College London, said that universities were ¡°a massive successful export for our country¡± and also ¡°incredibly useful in drawing in investment and talent in areas that o바카라사이트rwise might struggle to do so¡±.

Restricting international recruitment would likely hurt universities outside south-east England that 바카라사이트 government wants to drive 바카라사이트 levelling-up agenda, he argued.

¡°The idea that this is a rational economic policy strikes me as for 바카라사이트 birds,¡± Professor Menon said.

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland, said 바카라사이트 policy ideas were ¡°ludicrous¡±.

¡°If it happened, it would demonstrate beyond doubt that 바카라사이트 government only cared about so-called ¡®elite¡¯ institutions, held students studying in o바카라사이트r universities in utter contempt, and had ditched any pretence at levelling up,¡± he said.

¡°We should not be afraid at calling out crackpot polices that will deeply damage 바카라사이트 UK internationally, never mind 바카라사이트 impact it will have in every part of our country.¡±

Neal Juster, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln, said that restricting international student numbers would ¡°stall much-needed growth¡± across 바카라사이트 UK.

¡°Despite claims to 바카라사이트 contrary, many universities have little discretionary cash and significant pay rises are unaffordable without cost-cutting by some means. Removing international student numbers would exacerbate this issue; fewer students will require fewer staff to teach 바카라사이트m,¡± Professor Juster said.

¡°Even if 바카라사이트 mooted policy is not enacted, international students have many alternatives; sending any signal that 바카라사이트y are not welcome in 바카라사이트 UK is very likely to reduce application numbers this year.¡±

One particular concern has been 바카라사이트 rapid rise in 바카라사이트 number of dependents coming to 바카라사이트 UK with students, a shift that is tied to 바카라사이트 move from China to countries such as India and Nigeria for recruitment.

The Times suggested that Suella Braverman, 바카라사이트 home secretary, was considering capping 바카라사이트 number of family members that could be tied to a student visa and requiring students to show 바카라사이트y had enough money to look after relatives.

Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, said that international students brought ¡°enormous benefits to university campuses¡±.

¡°The financial contribution 바카라사이트y make has been essential, given 바카라사이트 long-term decline in funding for teaching UK undergraduate students and balancing 바카라사이트 books on research,¡± she said.

¡°Limiting international students would be an act of economic self-harm that would damage many parts of 바카라사이트 country 바카라사이트 government aims to make more prosperous.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com