The British government reiterated that it is "determined to prevent
the abuse of student visas as part of our plans to get net
migration down to the tens of thousands." A group of 70 university
chancellors had voiced criticism over the British government's
plan to count students into migration cap calculations. Immigration
Minister Damian Green responded saying that "Students coming to the
UK for over a year are not visitors. Numbers affect communities,
public services and infrastructure."
Press statement by UK Universities
"Nearly 70 university chancellors and chairs of council
have written to the prime minister today urging his government to
support the UK's universities in their efforts to recruit genuine
international students.
The letter has been signed by business leaders, peers from
all major parties and other prominent figures from the arts and
media in their roles as chancellors or chairs of universities. (See
letter below and attached.)
Signatories to the letter include former Conservative
minister Baroness Bottomley (Virginia Bottomley), writer and
broadcaster, Lord Bragg (Melvyn Bragg), former Director-General of
the CBI, Sir Richard Lambert and former leader of the Liberal
Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell MP.
They are backing calls for international university
students to be removed from net migration statistics for policy
purposes, bringing the UK into line with our major competitors.
They are urging the government to make a clear distinction between
temporary and permanent migration in order to help the UK maintain
its position as a world-leader in international higher education
and send out the message that the UK welcomes, and values, genuine
international students.
Education exports threatened
The UK continues to have one of the strongest higher
education systems in the world and universities can play a
considerable part in driving the UK's economic growth. Countries
such as the US and Australia have recognised the potential in this
growth area and are taking active steps to attract international
students, broadcasting very different messages to the world than
the UK.
The letter states: "In an age of increasing global
mobility, the number of individuals considering a university
education abroad is growing rapidly. In this market for talent -
and export income - the UK performs exceptionally well, with 9.9%
of the total market share in 2009, and export earnings of £7.9
billion. International students also play an important role in
towns and cities up and down the country, and contribute
significantly to local economies. There is a clear opportunity to
build on this success, with forecasts suggesting that export
earnings from this activity could more than double by
2025."
Letter from university chancellors and chairs of
Council, 29 May 2012
Rt Hon David Cameron MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA
29 May 2012
Dear Prime Minister,
International university students: potential for
growth
We are writing to you to urge you to support our
universities in their efforts to recruit genuine international
students.
As chancellors and chairs of council of universities
throughout the United Kingdom, we welcome the measures that the
government has taken to improve border controls, and counter any
abuse of the student visa route.
Our universities are one of the truly outstanding features
of the United Kingdom. They are internationally respected and, by a
number of measures, are second only to the United States in
teaching, research and knowledge exchange.
In an age of increasing global mobility, the number of
individuals considering a university education abroad is growing
rapidly. In this market for talent - and export income - the UK
performs exceptionally well, with 9.9% of the total market share in
2009, and export earnings of £7.9 billion. International students
also play an important role in towns and cities up and down the
country, and contribute significantly to local economies. There is
a clear opportunity to build on this success, with forecasts
suggesting that export earnings from this activity could more than
double by 2025.
International students also bring significant cultural
richness and long-term political and social benefits to this
country, and return many benefits to the countries from which they
come.
However, global competition for international students is
intense and a number of other countries are increasing their
efforts in this area.
We therefore ask you to consider how your government can
do more to support our universities in their international
activities. In particular we request that international university
students be removed from the net migration statistics for policy
purposes, bringing us into line with our major competitors. We
believe that this would help government by creating a clear
differentiation between temporary and permanent migration, help
universities whose international character is essential to their
future success, and help the UK by contributing to economic
growth.
In this Olympic year, when our universities will be
hosting athletics teams and media from across the globe, we urge
you to send a clear message that genuine international students are
also welcome in, and valued by, the United Kingdom.
Yours sincerely"