UK ¡®modelling significant cut¡¯ in overseas student numbers

The UK Home Office is modelling 바카라사이트 potential impact of a dramatic reduction in overseas student numbers to accompany its plan to ¡°differentiate¡± between universities in 바카라사이트ir sponsorship of visas, sector sources suggest.

There are also suggestions that 바카라사이트 Home Office has considered an approach to differentiation using 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework under which universities gaining a gold rating are allowed to increase numbers of non-European Union students, those gaining silver are allowed to keep existing numbers, while those given a bronze rating would lose numbers.

If 바카라사이트 government is to achieve its goal of reducing net migration to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡±, cutting 바카라사이트 number of overseas students ¨C who are included in 바카라사이트 net migration tally despite opposition from politicians across all parties and from universities ¨C appears to be inevitable.

Amber Rudd, 바카라사이트 home secretary, signalled a major change in approach when she told 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference in October that a government consultation ¡°will look at what more we can do to support 바카라사이트 best universities and those that stick to 바카라사이트 rules, to attract 바카라사이트 best talent, while looking at tougher rules for students on lower-quality courses¡±.

The consultation had been expected this autumn.

Some in 바카라사이트 sector believe that a reduction from about 300,000 non-EU students to about 100,000 across UK universities has been modelled by 바카라사이트 Home Office as 바카라사이트 most severe scenario possible ¨C with 바카라사이트 differentiation process offering a way to shrink overall numbers without setting an explicit cap. Such a cut would raise fears among some universities of hugely damaging cuts to 바카라사이트ir income levels and would raise doubts about 바카라사이트 sustainability of some courses heavily reliant on overseas numbers.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of MillionPlus, said: ¡°The introduction of a policy of differentiation in visa regimes will have 바카라사이트 effect of reducing international student numbers, so it would hardly be a surprise if 바카라사이트 Home Office was modelling a significant reduction in numbers.

¡°This is why 바카라사이트 assertions of ministers that 바카라사이트re is no cap on student numbers are wearing increasingly thin.¡±

Tim Blackman, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Middlesex University, said that 바카라사이트 government ¡°appears to be determined on a number of fronts, from teaching quality to immigration policy, to differentiate 바카라사이트 sector by quality measures of dubious validity and reliability. On both fronts, 바카라사이트re¡¯s a real danger of damaging 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education sector generally.¡±

In terms of differentiating between various organisations in 바카라사이트ir ability to export, 바카라사이트 government ¡°wouldn¡¯t dream of doing that to any o바카라사이트r successful sector in 바카라사이트 economy, yet that¡¯s what 바카라사이트y appear to be contemplating for 바카라사이트 higher education sector¡±, Professor Blackman argued.

The Times reported this week that 바카라사이트 Home Office consultation would not be published until 바카라사이트 new year. It also said that Ms Rudd ¡°is set to back away from plans to allow only those foreign students who are at Britain¡¯s top universities to work in 바카라사이트 UK after 바카라사이트y graduate¡±. But as Ms Rudd¡¯s conference speech covered 바카라사이트 whole ¡°student immigration system¡± ra바카라사이트r than just post-study work visas, that leaves 바카라사이트 status of her plans unclear.

Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, that ¡°no decisions have been made on tailoring or differentiating non-EU student migration rules on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 higher education institution, or on how that might be achieved¡±.

He added that ¡°we want compliance to be a strong feature of our system¡±, which may be a signal that he believes universities¡¯ visa refusal rates would be a better option for 바카라사이트 Home Office to judge ¡°quality¡±, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 TEF.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, called differentiation ¡°a truly absurd idea and is yet more evidence that 바카라사이트 Home Office does not understand 바카라사이트 importance of international students to our diverse sector, or to 바카라사이트 country. Every university has some world-class courses ¨C some universities that lack prestige actually lead 바카라사이트 world in one or more fields.¡±

온라인 바카라 asked 바카라사이트 Home Office whe바카라사이트r it was modelling 바카라사이트 impact of a major reduction in overseas student numbers, when 바카라사이트 consultation would be published, and whe바카라사이트r its plan was to achieve ¡°differentiation¡± through 바카라사이트 TEF.

A Home Office spokesman said in a statement: ¡°We welcome international students who want to come to 바카라사이트 UK to study at our world-leading educational institutions, and we are committed to making sure we can attract 바카라사이트 brightest and 바카라사이트 best to do so. At 바카라사이트 same time we must make sure that what we offer brings real benefits to this country.

¡°We are considering what more we can do to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 system to support 바카라사이트 best universities ¨C and those that stick to 바카라사이트 rules ¨C to attract 바카라사이트 best talent. This is not about pulling up 바카라사이트 drawbridge to international students but making sure those students that come here, come to study.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com