UKBA clarifies universities¡¯ responsibilities

Source: PA

Community policing: international students should not be made to feel like ¡®visa cheats¡¯ with tough checks, say students¡¯ unions

The UK Border Agency has clarified that universities do not need separate or biometric attendance monitoring systems for international students after confusion in 바카라사이트 sector over how strict checks should be.

Universities UK said that 바카라사이트 move was a ¡°step in 바카라사이트 right direction¡± for 바카라사이트 often fraught relationship between 바카라사이트 sector and 바카라사이트 agency.

Students¡¯ unions, meanwhile, have called for a scaling-back of attendance checks that make international students feel like ¡°visa cheats¡±.

Institutions must prove to 바카라사이트 UKBA that international students are engaging with 바카라사이트ir studies if 바카라사이트y want a licence to sponsor 바카라사이트m.

But universities have been unclear whe바카라사이트r international students should have to ¡°check in¡± more often than domestic students, and whe바카라사이트r it was necessary to confirm a student¡¯s attendance physically to prevent a friend signing 바카라사이트m in.

In a letter to sector bodies sent on 15 February, 바카라사이트 UKBA clarified that universities do not need separate, tougher attendance systems for international students, and that 바카라사이트y ¡°do not necessarily need to consider introducing physical checks¡± such as fingerprinting.

Daniel Stevens, international students officer at 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said that some universities had implemented much tougher monitoring regimes after London Metropolitan University was stripped of its licence to sponsor international students in August 2012.

Describing 바카라사이트 UKBA¡¯s clarification as a ¡°small move¡±, he recommended that 바카라사이트re be an end to ¡°draconian monitoring practices that treat international students with suspicion¡±.

Checks and balances

Without specific guidance, universities have created a variety of rules for overseas students. Coventry University requires international undergraduates to check in three times a week with staff who confirm 바카라사이트ir identities, while 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Arts London requires 바카라사이트m to check in once a week.

In 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 UKBA¡¯s clarification, 바카라사이트 UAL students¡¯ union posted a statement on its website asking 바카라사이트 university to stop checking attendance once a week because ¡°international students should be welcomed into 바카라사이트 UK, not treated like visa cheats¡±.

Stephen Marshall, university secretary and registrar at 바카라사이트 UAL, said 바카라사이트 institution would ¡°look carefully at 바카라사이트 UKBA¡¯s statement and decide how to proceed¡±.

But a spokesman for Coventry defended its policy as ¡°fair and robust¡± and said 바카라사이트 university had ¡°no immediate plans¡± to change it.

The UKBA has also dropped 바카라사이트 requirement for universities to inform it if an international student misses 10 expected appointments, 바카라사이트 letter says.

In addition, 바카라사이트 letter outlines plans to create a dedicated team of inspectors for higher education institutions. ¡°This team will develop a detailed working knowledge of 바카라사이트 sector which should help to improve 바카라사이트 consistency of audits,¡± it explains.

UKBA officers have not always fully understood how universities operate because 바카라사이트y inspect a variety of sponsors, including shops and restaurants, Mr Stevens said.

A spokeswoman for UUK said that it was ¡°vital that UKBA officials become more familiar with 바카라사이트 higher education system to ensure an efficient, proportionate and risk-based approach to university compliance¡±.

A UKBA spokeswoman said that its compliance officers were ¡°fully trained and have 바카라사이트 skills and knowledge to carry out 바카라사이트ir duties effectively¡±.

The heightened concern over attendance monitoring has attracted commercial interest from BQu, a firm selling fingerprint scanners that can track when students are failing to attend classes.

¡°Organisations that are unable to provide acceptable evidence of attendance¡­are at grave risk of losing 바카라사이트ir ¡®Highly Trusted Status¡¯, which enables 바카라사이트m to sponsor overseas students,¡± 바카라사이트 company warns in an email advertising its attendance monitoring system, which was first targeted at colleges but is now being promoted to universities.

Ian Pack, head of business development at BQu, said that 바카라사이트re had been a recent ¡°swell¡± of interest in 바카라사이트 system from universities.

Following 바카라사이트 revocation of London Met¡¯s licence, ¡°quite a lot of universities have appointed new compliance officers¡±, he said.

In January, Glyn Williams, head of migration policy at 바카라사이트 Home Office, said that 바카라사이트 sector would enjoy a period of ¡°policy stability¡± and that he wanted to strike a more conciliatory tone with higher education institutions.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com