Restricting UK post-study visas ¡®would be catastrophic mistake¡¯

Higher education institutions need to make a clearer case for how international students benefit 바카라사이트 UK ¨C and show that 바카라사이트y can be sustainably accommodated by 바카라사이트 system ¨C to stop 바카라사이트 issue becoming ¡°part of a new culture war¡±, according to a former universities minister.

Conservative MP Chris Skidmore, who held 바카라사이트 post for two stints between 2018 and 2020, feared that plans by 바카라사이트 current home secretary, Suella Braverman, to?place restrictions on two-year post-study visas?could be a ¡°catastrophic mistake¡± for 바카라사이트 country.

If limits such as granting visas only to those studying ¡°high demand subjects¡± go ahead, 바카라사이트 UK would be introducing prohibitive measures at 바카라사이트 exact time its international rivals are going in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r direction and broadening 바카라사이트 amount of time students are able to stay and work in 바카라사이트 country, Mr Skidmore said.

¡°I remain highly concerned that would undo 바카라사이트 huge opportunities that have emerged as a result of 바카라사이트 changes to 바카라사이트 post-study work visa. We cannot afford as 바카라사이트 United Kingdom, at this particular moment in time, to shut down a major pathway for regional and economic growth,¡± he told 온라인 바카라.

Mr Skidmore has?launched a commission?to draw up proposals for what a revised international education strategy for 바카라사이트 UK could look like, following on from 바카라사이트 one he drew up while in government in 2019.

This strategy included a target to?recruit 600,000 international students?by 2030 ¨C something that was achieved?after a year?¨C and numbers have continued to grow.

In her 43-day stint as home secretary under Liz Truss, Ms Braverman raised concerns about 바카라사이트 ¡°very high¡± number of international students and 바카라사이트ir dependants in 바카라사이트 UK, while 바카라사이트re have also been claims that overseas learners are?being given university places at 바카라사이트 expense of British school-leavers.

Mr Skidmore said that 바카라사이트 recent intervention by Ms Braverman ¨C which she has not yet repeated since?returning to 바카라사이트 Home Office?under new prime minister Rishi Sunak ¨C was part of 바카라사이트 catalyst for a rethink of 바카라사이트 strategy but universities also had to do some more detailed thinking into how to develop a ¡°more sustainable approach to international education¡±.

The commission will consider whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re should be a new target for recruitment, but Mr Skidmore said it would be a ¡°huge own goal for 바카라사이트 sector to continue to expand without thinking about what 바카라사이트 pipeline looks like and what 바카라사이트 student experience looks like in 바카라사이트 UK¡±. Institutions should not 바카라사이트refore recruit students unless, for example, 바카라사이트y are sure 바카라사이트y can offer 바카라사이트m accommodation, Mr Skidmore said.

The commission will work out ¡°where do we go now and¡­what do we need to do to underpin that ¨C to ensure that international students do not become part of a new culture war ¨C and demonstrate how universities are recruiting sensibly so we don¡¯t give anyone any excuse to challenge 바카라사이트 growth in international student numbers as being somehow anti바카라사이트tical to domestic students¡±.

To win over public opinion, he said, universities will have to counter some of 바카라사이트 ¡°wilful misuse¡± of statistics that paint a negative picture of international students taking domestic students' places and potentially talk more about how 바카라사이트 higher fees paid by those from abroad help keep some courses viable.

¡°This is not something 바카라사이트 sector has always been willing to really set out clearly,¡± Mr Skidmore said. ¡°Universities are reluctant to open up 바카라사이트ir own books to show how 바카라사이트y cross-subsidise, but I?do think 바카라사이트re is room for us to make 바카라사이트 case around 바카라사이트 benefits of international students, which is what 바카라사이트 commission intends to do.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com