OUSU condemns “scapegoating” at London Met
By Isaac Delestre
OUSU (Oxford University Student Union) president David J. Townsend released a statement today publicly condemning the actions of the government in forcing the entire body of London Metropolitan University’s overseas students to find alternative educational establishments under threat of deportation.
London Metropolitan University
PHOTO / edosbornphotography
Townsend stated that the “sudden decision punishes legitimate students for no wrongdoing of their own. Condemning thousands of on-course students … to immediately switch universities or face expulsion from the UK is unnecessary, detrimental to their studies and destructive to the UK’s reputation as a welcoming centre for international academia.”
He went on to warn that “If this self-destructive public scapegoating continues, international students will turn away from the UK, and Oxford as well as other British universities will lose students to competitor institutions in the USA, Canada and Australia.”
OUSU President, David J. Townsend
The decision to revoke London Met’s Highly Trusted Status (HTS), and consequently its ability to issue visas, came after a UKBA (UK Border Agency) survey reportedly found that over a quarter of the University’s overseas students did not have permission to be in the country.
The loss of London Met’s HTS means that the University’s 2000 strong contingent of non-EU overseas students will be forced to find alternative academic sponsorship, or face deportation from the UK in 60 days.
OUSU’s condemnation of the government’s handling of the situation echoes the statment released on Thursday by NUS (National Union of Students) president Liam Burns: ”It is disgusting that international students continue to be used as a political football by politicians who seem either incapable of understanding, or are simply uncaring about the impact of their decisions on individuals, universities and the UK economy.”
imagine the shame
04/09/2012 at 15:41
As someone who now works in international education in Oxford, I can only say that I whole-heartedly support the decision by the UKBA to revoke the HTS status of London Met. Whilst the personal impact on the students whose right to remain in the UK was legally verified might be severe, they have been let down not by the UKBA but by the academic institution which failed to properly apply for and obtain visas for their study, concerned as they were rather with securing the fees than securing safe and legal stay for their students. The action taken by the UKBA might seem harsh, but the alternative is that all institutions currently holding HTS status – such as the one at which I work – suffer the adverse effects of illegal action such as that taken by London Met. and consequently see their own visa issuing capabilities diminished because of the idiocy and frankly appalling behaviour of certain institutions. The legislation behind the awarding of HTS status makes it quite clear that failure to meet the terms of the status will result in its revocation, and this is precisely why the subsequent inspections take place. London Met. failed to meet the terms of the policy, and thus the status was withdrawn. The wrongdoing was clear, and so too was the punishment given.
Anonymous
15/09/2012 at 02:24
I’m sure the government are absolutely pissing themselves with fear now they know Oxford’s pre-eminent posturing Antipodean arsewipe is onto them…