UK: international educators react as May fails to win election majority

Published 09/06/2017

A shock upset for the Conservatives in the UK’s snap election could be good news for the international education sector, stakeholders have said, as it may cast doubt on whether the party will follow through with plans to tighten student visa regulations and crack down on incoming student numbers. However, a period of uncertainty could also be damaging to education institutions, they warned.

The UK election ended inconclusively this morning as Prime Minister Theresa May fell short of the 326 seats required to form a majority government.

Amid the uncertainty following the result, international education stakeholders spoke to The PIE News about their concerns and priorities for the next government.

“The Conservatives did however include a pledge in their manifesto to ‘toughen the visa requirements for students'”

The election result has thrown much of the Conservative manifesto into doubt, according to Pam Tatlow, chief executive of MillionPlus, the association for modern universities in the UK.

“The case for a system of funding in which students pay the lion’s cost of their higher education in England and the toughening of visa restrictions for international students – a policy which was deeply unpopular among Mrs May’s colleagues in the last government – should be re-opened,” she said.

Dominic Scott, chief executive of the UK Council for International Student Affairs, said the Conservative manifesto contained many “really worrying proposals” including introducing tougher visa requirements, tripling the Immigration Health Charge and keeping students in the net migration policy.

“And if this result means that they are less likely to be implemented – or even if more liberal ones were adopted – it would be a huge relief for international students, those here and those thinking of coming in the future,” he commented.

However, the news of a hung parliament could “also mean a further period of uncertainty in policy terms which, with huge concerns about Brexit as well, could well be bad news for universities, colleges and students”, Scott added.

James Pitman, managing director, higher education UK & Europe at Study Group, noted that a few months ago “a hung parliament looked an unlikely prospect”.

“Theresa May’s future as Prime Minister is in doubt and, given her hostile attitude towards international students, this might not be a bad thing for the sector,” he argued.

“Other senior Conservative figures such as [home secretary] Amber Rudd, [foreign secretary] Boris Johnson and [chancellor] Philip Hammond, have supported removing students from net migration targets, and could provide a more sympathetic ear.”

Recently, an amendment to the Higher Education and Research Bill to remove international students from the net migration figures – a long-standing topic of debate in the industry – was defeated in the House of Commons.

However, Pitman pointed out that there have been no “further damaging restrictions this year aimed towards international students”.

“The Conservatives did however include a pledge in their manifesto to “toughen the visa requirements for students”.

“We hope that the new government will base any new policies on accurate data, and work with the Office for National Statistics and the sector to establish the true number of student overstayers,” he said.

Tatlow at MillionPlus, commented that in whatever form the new government takes, it “would do well to re-evaluate its stance on international students, who bring diversity and cultural and economic benefit to UK universities and the country as a whole.”

“Students want to see progressive and fair policies that will have a very real and positive impact on all our futures”

Meanwhile, the voter turnout among 18-24 year olds is estimated to have been as high as 72%.

Malia Bouattia, president of the National Union of Students, said that the student vote played a “key role in marginal seats across the UK”.

“Students want to see progressive and fair policies that will have a very real and positive impact on all our futures,” she said.

“We want a government that does everything in its power to welcome international students and keep our universities and colleges diverse and vibrant.

“Under the last seven years of Conservative rule, further and higher education funding has radically reduced and student debt now follows us into mid-life.”

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