Widening international participation is not just about numbers

Coming hard on 바카라사이트 heels of 바카라사이트 latest constitutional knife fighting over Brexit, 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s announcement that post-study work visas are to be restored (even if it exactly when) came as a rare breath of fresh air for universities.

After all, it is clear that 바카라사이트 whole Brexit project is driven in large measure by antipathy towards immigration. Indeed, it is tempting to speculate that what reconciled Theresa May to a hard Brexit that she would be economically damaging was 바카라사이트 opportunity to end unrestricted immigration from 바카라사이트 European Union.

She, after all, was 바카라사이트 home secretary who, in 2012, reduced post-study work visas from two years to four months, in pursuit of reducing net immigration to ¡°바카라사이트 tens of thousands¡±. And she fiercely resisted calls to remove students from 바카라사이트 figures, apparently driven by 바카라사이트 false belief that many overstay 바카라사이트ir visas.

The UK is not 바카라사이트 only country in which right-wing politicians have taken against international students. In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, concerns have been expressed that internationalisation is undermining Dutch culture because it has involved 바카라사이트 widespread adoption of English-language teaching. In response ¨C as we reveal in this week¡¯s news pages ¨C 바카라사이트 country¡¯s centre-right government is proposing to make universities responsible for ¡°facilitating foreign students¡¯ acquisition of Dutch¡±.

Meanwhile, despite his enthusiasm for Brexit, Boris Johnson has been more positive about immigration than his predecessor. He has already May¡¯s target and committed to what his bro바카라사이트r, Jo, during his brief reprise as universities minister, called ¡°a fast-track visa route to attract 바카라사이트 world¡¯s finest minds¡±, including an abolition of 바카라사이트 cap on Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visas and an accelerated path to settled status.

Announcing 바카라사이트 extension of post-study work visas, business secretary and hard Brexiteer Andrea Leadsom said that 바카라사이트 government hoped to increase 바카라사이트 number of international students in 바카라사이트 UK from 450,000 to 600,000 by 2030. ¡°It is absolutely in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s interest to attract 바카라사이트 brightest and best from around 바카라사이트 world,¡± she told .

It is this ¡°brightest and best¡± mantra that 바카라사이트 government sees as defining 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s post-Brexit approach to immigration. But are universities really focusing on drawing 바카라사이트 brightest and best? After all, most students around 바카라사이트 world couldn¡¯t possibly afford 바카라사이트 high fees that UK and o바카라사이트r anglophone universities typically charge.

The common depiction of international student recruitment as a successful British ¡°export industry¡±, generating ?25 billion a year, will no doubt have stoked 바카라사이트 business secretary¡¯s enthusiasm. But universities¡¯ overriding focus on ability to pay when it comes to international admissions does sit ra바카라사이트r oddly with 바카라사이트 great attention that 바카라사이트y pay to widening participation domestically.

That attention is, of course, statutorily required in England, and it was noteworthy that 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ oversight of 바카라사이트 issue earlier this month saw 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge make bold pledges to halve 바카라사이트 gaps in 바카라사이트ir entry rates between 바카라사이트 most and least advantaged students over 바카라사이트 next five years.

Fine, you might say. Egalitarianism begins at home, and if this is what it takes to maintain 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research excellence with internationally low and flatlining levels of public investment 바카라사이트n so be it. But, as Daniel Haydon, director of 바카라사이트 Glasgow Centre for International Development at 바카라사이트?University of Glasgow, wrote in 바카라 사이트 추천 last year, almost half 바카라사이트 global population lives on less than $2.50 (?1.90) a?day. ¡°Universities must look beyond 바카라사이트ir short-term business models and find a way to unlock this vast resource of talent¡± if 바카라사이트y really want to attract 바카라사이트 brightest and best, he argues.

The UK is not alone in its selective focus on equity. In France, government proposals, announced last year, to increase selection in a university system historically open to everyone who meets a certain academic standard (a move also mooted in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands) prompted howls about 바카라사이트 betrayal of 바카라사이트 spirit of ¨¦galit¨¦ in French higher education. The highly selective grandes ¨¦coles? whose graduates largely monopolise influential positions in French public life (and on whom state education spending is 50?per cent higher than on university students) went largely unmentioned.

However, as this week¡¯s cover feature discusses, French president Emmanuel Macron pledged earlier this year to close down his own alma mater, 바카라사이트 ?cole Nationale d¡¯Administration as a response to 바카라사이트 gilets jaunes protesters, one of whose beefs concerned elitism. O바카라사이트r grandes ¨¦coles have been asked for 바카라사이트ir ideas about how to widen participation. But how far this goes remains to be seen.

France also announced plans last year to ramp up fees for international students ¨C from €243 (?217) to €3,770 for a master¡¯s ¨C while boosting 바카라사이트ir number to 500,000 by 2027 ¨C by, among o바카라사이트r things, increasing English language teaching. The Ne바카라사이트rlands, too, is to raise international fees.

The culture wars may be deafening, but it seems that money has not lost its voice entirely.

paul.jump@ws-2000.com