Overseas students should be welcomed and encouraged into the UK as vital contributors to the nation’s workforce and economy, according to a new report by think-tank British Future and Universities UK, which represents 134 universities and colleges across the country. 

The report International students and the UK immigration debate recommends that government should positively support the growth in overseas student numbers with a growth strategy, backed by investment, to promote British universities and build new partnerships overseas.

In addition, the report says that government should remove international students from any net migration targets and “make a renewed effort – through its words, actions and policies – to communicate a consistent message that Britain welcomes international students”. (see Editor's Comment)

"The public do not see students who come and go as part of the immigration problem." Lord Heseltine speaking on the Radio 4 Today programme.

Support for the research findings was led this weekend by former Tory cabinet minister Lord Heseltine who said that, given their temporary and very specific reasons for being in the country, overseas students should not be part of the on-going pre-General Election debate over immigration.

He also warned that the financing revenue associated with overseas students meant that if the UK was unable to attract foreign students it would have a substantial impact on the funding of universities and courses.  

The view was also supported by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg who said the policy did not “make any sense” and by Labour's shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna who said overseas students should be "removed immediately from the net migration target".

The Universities UK report is based on the findings of a national poll by ICM of over 2000 people and six workshops which concluded that the public also supported overseas students studying in the UK.

It found that:

• 59% of the public says the government should not reduce international student numbers, even if that limits the government’s ability to cut immigration numbers overall. Only 22% take the opposing view.
• 66% of Conservative voters are opposed to reducing student numbers.Ÿ
• 60% of people think that international students bring money into their local economy. Only 12% think they take money out.
• 61% agree that Britain’s universities would have less funding to invest in top-quality facilities and teaching without the higher fees paid by international students. Only 7% disagree.
• 75% think that international students should be allowed to stay and work in Britain after graduating from British universities, using their skills for the benefit of our economy, for at least a period of time.
• Only 22% of the public thinks that international students should count as migrants. Most people do not understand why they would be counted towards the government’s immigration targets.

It recommended that government should enhance opportunities for qualified international graduates to stay in the UK to work and contribute to the economy.

“The government should make a renewed effort – through its words, actions and policies – to communicate a consistent message that Britain welcomes international students” Universities UK. 

Lord Heseltine told the Radio 4 Today programme this week that overseas students were very different to immigrants who entered the country with limited qualifications and no job.

"The public do not see students who come and go as part of the immigration problem," he said.

Details of the Universities UK/British Future report are here.

http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/highereducation/Pages/InternationalStude...