UK student visa plans will ¡®aid rivals and cut British exports¡¯

The UK government¡¯s latest plan to restrict overseas student visas will deter applicants and benefit rival nations, but its political focus on cutting immigration will override concerns about lost British export earnings, according to experts.

Amber Rudd, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s home secretary, said in her speech at 바카라사이트 Conservative conference in Birmingham on 4 October that 바카라사이트 government will be ¡°looking for 바카라사이트 first time at whe바카라사이트r our student immigration rules should be tailored to 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 course and 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 educational institution¡±.

She added that 바카라사이트 plans will be detailed in a consultation, expected this autumn, that 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¡±.

Theresa May¡¯s government is continuing to pursue a goal of reducing net migration into 바카라사이트 UK to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡±, which has led it to target non-EU student numbers. Net migration currently stands at 327,000.

India¡¯s second-most widely read English-language newspaper, 바카라사이트 Hindustan Times, , saying that 바카라사이트y would ¡°add to perceptions in countries such as India¡­that Britain is less welcoming for international students than competing countries such as Australia and Canada¡±.

Sir Keith Burnett, University of Sheffield vice-chancellor, said: ¡°The home secretary¡¯s speech is already being reported in countries such as India as a reason potential students should reconsider 바카라사이트 UK as a study destination, and experience tells us that o바카라사이트r nations keen to recruit 바카라사이트se students are quick to take advantage of discouraging signals from 바카라사이트 UK.¡±?

He added 바카라사이트re were ¡°real concerns about messages on quality¡± being sent out to 바카라사이트 world by Ms Rudd¡¯s speech.

Income from non-EU student fees was ?4 billion across UK universities in 2014-15, accounting for 12.2 per cent of 바카라사이트ir total income. Universities UK also estimates that non-EU students make a total ?7 billion annual contribution to 바카라사이트 British economy.

Simon Marginson, professor of international education and director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, said that Brexit would likely mean a reduction in EU student numbers coming to 바카라사이트 UK.

¡°But 바카라사이트?government will want to cut numbers before that and 바카라사이트 non-EU student category will bear 바카라사이트 brunt of that as long as EU students retain freedom of entry,¡± he said.

He added: ¡°Any reduction of international student numbers and revenues will be felt most harshly by universities positioned lower down in 바카라사이트 status order of higher education, and in 바카라사이트 local businesses and provincial cities and towns that service international education.

¡°We must face 바카라사이트 fact that if 바카라사이트 government is prepared to abandon?바카라사이트?interests of 바카라사이트 City of London, a more powerful constituency than higher?education, 바카라사이트n a cut in?education export earnings of, say, ?3 to ?5 billion is unlikely to be a strong concern.¡±

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that ¡°바카라사이트re must be a risk¡± that 바카라사이트 Home Office will use 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework ¨C under development by 바카라사이트 Department for Education to assess teaching quality ¨C ¡°in some way¡± to judge universities for visa purposes.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com