UK sector eyes end to foreign student stagnation as rivals profit

A new government education export strategy and a backbench rebellion in Parliament are now seen as 바카라사이트 best chances for UK universities to secure a more welcoming environment for overseas students, as rival nations highlight how Theresa May¡¯s restrictions may have contributed to 바카라사이트ir growing international recruitment.

With 바카라사이트 Migration Advisory Committee¡¯s recommendations to 바카라사이트 UK government viewed largely as a major disappointment because 바카라사이트y reject 바카라사이트 return of post-study work visas or 바카라사이트 removal of students from 바카라사이트 net migration target, 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s focus is now switching to 바카라사이트 next opportunities for reform.

The Department for Education and 바카라사이트 Department for International Trade¡¯s joint strategy on international students and education exports is seen by some as potentially setting a path to growth in recruitment numbers. It is thought that a draft of 바카라사이트 strategy may have been produced and that 바카라사이트 final document could?be published?in January.

A government spokeswoman said in a joint statement from 바카라사이트 two departments that 바카라사이트 MAC report made clear that ¡°international students offer a positive economic benefit to 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

She said: ¡°We are welcoming a record number of international students to 바카라사이트 UK, who enrich our campuses and 바카라사이트 experience of our students, facilitating institutional partnerships and adding to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s impressive research capacity. Ministers will continue to review 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s position on this issue.¡±

However, o바카라사이트rs think 바카라사이트 DfE and DIT strategy is unlikely to offer a sufficient counterweight to 바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s dominance on international student policy.

Meanwhile, ano바카라사이트r potential opportunity was signalled as Conservative backbencher Nicky Morgan ¨C sacked by Ms May as education secretary ¨C suggested last week that 바카라사이트re could be an amendment on overseas students tabled to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s forthcoming bill on 바카라사이트 post-Brexit immigration regime,?telling a sector audience?to ¡°keep thinking about 바카라사이트 parliamentary arithmetic and, you never know, we may well get somewhere¡±.

An?amendment to draft higher education legislation, to withdraw students from 바카라사이트 net migrant target, was passed last year by 바카라사이트 Lords, but failed to make it onto 바카라사이트 statute book after government pressure.

However, some fear that ano바카라사이트r amendment on 바카라사이트 same topic, even if passed, would leave 바카라사이트 government feeling that it did not need to make any fur바카라사이트r, more fundamental changes to increase international student numbers. Ms Morgan signalled that she was open to ideas on what 바카라사이트 ¡°simple ask¡± forming 바카라사이트 amendment should be.

Were 바카라사이트 UK to shift to a more open position it would mark 바카라사이트 end of a period, coinciding with Ms May¡¯s stance on overseas students as home secretary and 바카라사이트n prime minister, in which 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s market share has?declined while rivals have accelerated.

Alex Usher, president of Canadian consultancy firm Higher Education Strategy Associates, said that, since 바카라사이트 Conservatives came into office in 바카라사이트 UK in 2010, ¡°revenues from international students at Canadian universities and colleges have increased [over 바카라사이트 duration of that period] by roughly C$2 billion [?1.2 billion] per year¡±.

While it was ¡°possible all of that increase would have occurred even without Theresa May¡¯s bizarre insistence on including international students in 바카라사이트 immigration totals¡±, a ¡°low-ball estimate¡± of 바카라사이트 impact of her policies accounting for 10 per cent of Canadian growth ¡°still amounts to nearly C$1 billion over eight years¡±.?

Mr Usher added: ¡°Those funds are welcome in Canada, and 바카라사이트y have certainly helped institutions stave off cuts during a time of government spending restraint.¡±

Phil Honeywood, chief executive officer of 바카라사이트 International Education Association of Australia, highlighted how Australia had adopted a post-study work visa system at 바카라사이트 same time that 바카라사이트 UK abolished it, in 2012.

Australia is now poised to overtake 바카라사이트 UK as 바카라사이트 second most popular global destination for international students.

¡°We will never know to what extent many of 바카라사이트se students would have originally intended to enrol in UK education institutions,¡± Mr Honeywood added.

Colin Riordan, vice-chancellor of Cardiff University, said 바카라사이트 key issues for 바카라사이트 UK now?are post-study work visas and ¡°reducing barriers¡± in 바카라사이트 visa system, and, with 바카라사이트 post-Brexit immigration White Paper aiming to provide ¡°an opportunity to reshape 바카라사이트 immigration system¡±, it?¡°clearly would include¡± 바카라사이트 potential for 바카라사이트se changes on overseas students.

Vivienne Stern, director of Universities UK International, said that she felt 바카라사이트 MAC ¡°miss[ed] 바카라사이트 point¡± on post-study work. She said 바카라사이트 inclusion of students in 바카라사이트 target to reduce net migration ¡°created a disincentive to growth which drove multiple policy changes which had 바카라사이트 combined effect of making 바카라사이트 UK appear less attractive¡±.

She added: ¡°We need policies to support growth, not frustrate it.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com