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"