The UK does not have a God-given right in the international student recruitment market

“Our bellicose rhetoric and criticism of UK immigration policy is simply picked up and repeated in the press overseas as criticism of the UK and of our universities”

Vincenzo Raimo, director of the international office at The University of Nottingham, writes about how poor lobbying tactics can damage the UK’s reputation abroad, and the complex factors impacting on Indian students’ decision to study in the UK.

Thank goodness the University of East Anglia’s Edward Acton, who said that Home Office rhetoric on immigration was having “a horrible, negative effect” on international student recruitment, is on his way out. But how do we stop other Vice-Chancellors going on about visas as if they’re the only reason numbers are down from India?

Steve Smith (Exeter) did the same last week at the British Council’s India partnerships’ event. A great way to encourage partnerships – tell prospective partners that our visa processes are rubbish and that they won’t be let into the UK. One of the main reasons for the fall in international students coming to the UK from India and some other (although certainly not all) countries is down to the very public and poor lobbying tactics of Acton and others in some UK universities. Universities need to recognise the reality for politicians of the immigration debate and work with them for the sector’s benefit. Our bellicose rhetoric and criticism of UK immigration policy is simply picked up and repeated in the press overseas as criticism of the UK and of our universities.

“One of the main reasons for the fall in international students coming to the UK from India and some other countries is down to the very public and poor lobbying tactics of Acton and others in some UK universities”

It’s true that some immigration policy changes – and in particular, the timing of those changes – in recent years have made it harder and more costly for universities to recruit students (and staff) from overseas, but not all of those changes have been bad. Minimum English language requirements and having to know that our students are really with us and making progress are surely among the positive changes; and the need for financial checks before students come to the UK has significantly reduced student hardship and tuition fee debts levels.

As well as asking some of our Vice-Chancellors to shut up on this topic (at least so publicly) they’d be well advised to consider other factors which have had an impact on the downturn in students coming from India to the UK, such as increased competition locally and internationally – including UK TNE (the UK does not have a God-given right in the international student recruitment market – there are other options), and in particular the falling value of the rupee against the pound, which has significantly increased the cost of studying in the UK.

“the UK does not have a God-given right in the international student recruitment market – there are other options”

Elizabeth Shepherd of the British Council gave an excellent presentation on factors impacting on Indian students’ decision factors at yesterday’s UK-India Partnerships event). Her research shows clearly that there are many factors impacting on Indian students’ thinking about overseas study UK visa policy was not the top factor impacting on their choices.