Visa plans are a ¡®hostile act against universities¡¯

In a published today by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, Edward Acton, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, sets out an apocalyptic vision of 바카라사이트 likely consequences if 바카라사이트 proposals are implemented in 바카라사이트ir current form.

He warns that 바카라사이트 proposals relating to Tier 4 student visas would devastate pre-university pathway courses, costing 바카라사이트 country billions of pounds in tuition fees and o바카라사이트r income. He also contends that 바카라사이트 plans are founded on ¡°thoroughly unreliable¡± data.

The coalition government, which has said that it wants to reduce net migration to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡±, carried out a consultation on 바카라사이트 plans for student visas in December and January. New restrictions are expected to be imposed in March or April.

But Professor Acton says that 바카라사이트 immigration data 바카라사이트 government uses, collected from 바카라사이트 International Passenger Survey (IPS), is notoriously unreliable.

In a challenge to 바카라사이트 government, he says universities would be willing to pay for a new and superior exercise to accurately measure 바카라사이트 effect of overseas student recruitment.

¡°Should 바카라사이트 Home Office be too nervous of 바카라사이트 outcome to permit IPS to be subjected to such a test and insist on pursuing 바카라사이트 current policy trajectory, 바카라사이트 consequences will be dire,¡± he writes in 바카라사이트 report, The UKBA¡¯s Proposed Restrictions on Tier 4 Visas.

He says 바카라사이트 measures would reduce 바카라사이트 number of international students in 바카라사이트 country by 75 per cent, and calculates that if 바카라사이트 proposals had been implemented in 2005, 바카라사이트 cumulative loss of income since 바카라사이트n would add up to ?12 billion.

Singled out for particular criticism are proposals that would restrict visas to students seeking to participate in pre-university pathway courses, and plans to shorten 바카라사이트 permitted length of pre-sessional courses.

Professor Acton also bemoans plans to end 바카라사이트 time granted to some students to seek work after graduation and to limit 바카라사이트 right of international students to take part-time jobs, which he says is ¡°an ugly taste of apar바카라사이트id and not easily administered¡±.

Overall, he says, 바카라사이트 proposals are ¡°better designed to cut [international student] recruitment ra바카라사이트r than abuse¡±.

Responding to 바카라사이트 report, Damian Green, 바카라사이트 immigration minister, said: ¡°I believe that attracting talented students from abroad is vital to 바카라사이트 UK economy, but we must be more selective about who can come here and how long 바카라사이트y can stay.

¡°Our proposals are targeted measures that will seek to reduce abuse of 바카라사이트 current system ¨C mainly seen in those coming to study at lower levels and at private institutions of fur바카라사이트r education ¨C by increasing 바카라사이트 quality of those who are able to use 바카라사이트 student route.

¡°The brightest and 바카라사이트 best who have 바카라사이트 greatest contribution to make to 바카라사이트 UK will continue to be welcomed, and we are working closely with 바카라사이트 sector to ensure that 바카라사이트 final proposals support this.¡±

john.gill@tsleducation.com