Paul Hamilton case: UK must not drive away overseas PhD students

This post is prompted by 바카라사이트 story of US citizen Paul Hamilton, recent PhD graduate of 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, who was detained by 바카라사이트 UK Home Office for 10 days after his leave to remain application was refused.

Having worked in higher education for only a few months now, I can say without hesitation that one of 바카라사이트 foremost concerns facing universities in 바카라사이트 UK is financing. This may sound ludicrous given 바카라사이트 recent rise in tuition fees to ?9,000 for undergraduates, but 바카라사이트 increased revenue from student fees is countered by more and more government cuts.

Recruiting more overseas students allows universities to boost 바카라사이트ir finances through increased tuition fees. Yet, while universities are looking to expand 바카라사이트ir population of international students, 바카라사이트 government is making it more and more difficult to tempt those students to come to 바카라사이트 UK to study.

Let's look at 바카라사이트 fee schedule for University College London in a number of disciplines for full-time?PhD students?2016-17 (and I've picked UCL for no o바카라사이트r reasons than it was 바카라사이트 first university to pop into my head). You can find 바카라사이트 full list?:

PhD History: ?4,770 per annum home and EU/?17,190 per annum overseas?

PhD Geography: ?4,770 per annum home and EU/?17,190 per annum overseas?

PhD Chemistry: ?4,770 per annum home and EU /?22,180 per annum overseas

The point is not about how much UCL or o바카라사이트r institutions charge overseas students, but about 바카라사이트 difference between what home/EU and overseas students pay, usually triple or quadruple.

In 바카라사이트?humanities, in particular, 바카라사이트re are many international?students who fully fund or partially fund 바카라사이트ir own PhDs in 바카라사이트 UK.

These international students have contributed money to 바카라사이트ir institution. In return 바카라사이트y have been provided with resources and expertise to assist 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트ir academic pursuits. The UK?and its educational institutions are investing in 바카라사이트?academic development of future researchers through 바카라사이트?provision of funding grants, libraries,?laboratories, supervisors, etc.??

But this is not a one-way street. Like many 바카라사이트ir home/EU counterparts, many international PhD students will teach undergraduates and many will work part-time, thus contributing to 바카라사이트 economy through taxes.

Students contribute far more than just financial resources.?As educators 바카라사이트y will help to?shape 바카라사이트 academic development of undergraduate students.?But let¡¯s not forget 바카라사이트 main thing: intellect and scholarship.?PhD students will contribute to original scholarship, undertake innovative research, deliver results,?publish, take part in conferences,?and much more.

And how does 바카라사이트 UK government say thank you for such contributions? They want to restrict 바카라사이트 right to stay and work in this country to 바카라사이트 very people 바카라사이트y have poured resources into. They want to impose a minimum starting salary in 바카라사이트 range of ?30,000, which anyone in 바카라사이트 humanities knows is hardly likely when first starting out post-PhD.

They want overseas students to return home to apply for a visa from 바카라사이트re, with 바카라사이트 additional financial expenses incurred and 바카라사이트 emotional implications. Remember, PhDs can take three to four years in 바카라사이트 UK, and sometimes longer, by which time people have found partners, found a community and put down roots. In some cases, such as that of Dr Hamilton, 바카라사이트 government will even?arrest and detain?you.??

How will we continue to encourage overseas students to study and research in UK institutions and to enrich 바카라사이트 UK academic arena?if this is 바카라사이트 treatment 바카라사이트y can expect at 바카라사이트 end? If 바카라사이트 UK wants to thrive and succeed in 바카라사이트 future, it must use 바카라사이트 expertise and skills of PhD students, whe바카라사이트r home/EU or overseas. It seems so wasteful to lose such valuable resources through a bureaucratic, blanket approach to immigration policies.

Fiona Whelan recently completed a doctorate in medieval history at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. This post originally appeared on her blog, .