Student visa restrictions are a knee-jerk and dangerous policy

The union was responding a report released today from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) analysing the government's plans to reduce the number of student visas awarded to people outside the EU.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We share the concerns that the report makes about the data the Home Office has based the proposals on. If the proposals are implemented they will have a real impact on our ability to compete effectively on the global stage. We cannot afford to be sending out the message that we are closed for business.
 
'UK higher education is already suffering from enormous cuts, the last thing we need is knee-jerk populist policies that will deny our universities billions of pounds. International students are a vital part of the campus community, adding cultural knowledge and links that better equip our graduates to work in a globalised economy.'