Student visa plans could 'cripple' UK education

An all-party committee of MPs has urged Immigration Minister Damian Green not to go ahead with a series of changes to the student visa system, warning of "potentially calamitous" consequences to an industry worth £40bn a year.

Members of the home affairs select committee today "caution against measures which could be detrimental to a thriving, successful industry" that is "not only economically beneficial to this country but also vital to the UK's international relations".

The committee report amounts to a scathing critique of government plans to try and reduce net immigration by introducing new controls on students applying to study in the UK. The MPs complain of "a policy based on flawed evidence" and urge ministers to rethink proposals that "could cripple the UK education sector".

The government is determined to reduce net migration to the UK from its current level of around 200,000 a year down to tens of thousands. However, since taking office, net immigration has increased, largely because many more students from outside the EU are coming to British colleges, language schools and universities.

Immigration Minister Damian Green told Parliament in January that "taking action on students is particularly important as they make up roughly two thirds of non-European economic area immigrants, and the number of student visas issued has been rising in recent years". However, a few weeks later he told the Commons: "We want to encourage all those genuine students coming here to study at our world-class academic institutions."

This apparent contradiction has led the select committee to accuse the government of "a lack of clarity" over whether the aim was to cap foreign student numbers or simply target "bogus" students and colleges. The prime minister has stated that "we are not currently looking at limits on tier four (student) immigration visas" but the MPs' report expresses concern at "the potential to create significant unintended consequences".

The anxiety is that Britain might lose out on billions of pounds in income from foreign students if it does not appear to be as welcoming as other countries. "UK universities are facing aggressive competition in a market which is vital for their future and for the UK economy", the MPs say, adding that they had already "heard evidence that Australia were launching an aggressive marketing campaign in order to increase their share of the international education market at the expense of the UK".

The committee report states that "the international student market is estimated to be worth £40 billion to the UK economy" and warns that "given the experiences of the USA and Australia", who lost trade after they tightened their student visa systems, "it would be wise for the UK to bear this very much in mind".

Chairman of the committee, Keith Vaz MP, is suggesting the government takes students out of the net migration figures, thus removing the educational sector from ministers' concerns over numbers:

"Students are not migrants. They come from all over the world to study here, contributing to the economy both through payment of fees and wider spending. Whilst we are right to seek to eliminate bogus colleges and bogus students, we need to ensure that we continue to attract the brightest and the best... if the door is shut they will simply study elsewhere."

The MPs "strongly recommend" that the government does not demand higher English language qualifications for students applying to a college with "highly trusted" status. They also urge that the post study work route whereby students who finish their course can take a job in the UK "be maintained".

Indeed, they question whether there is a significant problem of bogus students looking to abuse immigration rules.

The information government uses to justify tightening student visa rules "does not in itself prove endemic abuse of the system", the committee says. Mr Vaz argues that "generating policy based on flawed evidence could cripple the UK education sector. In the case of international students this could mean a significant revenue and reputational loss to the UK."

One area where government has expressed specific ambition to act is on students who come to the UK to take "sub-degree" courses at English language schools. You may recall my post on this subject which quoted Damian Green telling journalists how he had "discovered" that half of those who come to Britain to study "do not fit with everyone's image of the hard-working student in higher education".

The committee, however, estimates that the foreign students coming to learn English "contribute roughly £1.5 billion to the economy and are estimated to be responsible for 30,000 jobs".

"It is a sector which boosts tourism and provides a vital route for international students to achieve necessary language skills for UK degree courses" they say. "Witnesses repeatedly stressed to us the importance of pathway programmes to UK universities and all of them cited the increase of the required language level as a proposal which could significantly damage the recruitment of international students."

Today's all-party report is clanging alarm bells, sounding klaxons and rattling cages for all it is worth. The MPs accept the need to keep immigration under control and take steps to prevent abuse. But, after reading their document, one is left with the powerful impression that this group of senior parliamentarians fears the government may be about to endanger a key driver of economic growth and cost taxpayers billions of pounds.

source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2011/03/student_visa_plans_could_cripp.html

US, India working to resolve woes of closed varsity students

Washington: US authorities have agreed to work closely with the Indian embassy here for early resolution of the problems faced by hundreds of Indian students affected by the closure of a fraud US university.

The agreement was reached during a meeting here between a group of Indian students of the Tri-Valley University (TVU) with Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar with representatives from the US Immigrationand Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Student Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) present.

There was a detailed and useful discussion and exchange of information on the manner in which the problems of students at TVU are being addressed, and some of the continuing concerns of the students, the embassy said.

"It was agreed that the students and representatives from ICE and SEVP would remain in touch with the Embassy to continue to work together for early resolution of the issue,"

The Embassy said it had also been informed by US authorities that more than 50 per cent of the students were at various stages of processing for reinstatement.

Other students were advised to contact ICE on their website (www.ice.gov/sevis), or contact their call centre at telephone 703-603-3400 to initiate the consideration of their cases.

Nearly 1,500 Indian students face the prospect of deportation unless they can secure admission to another school to maintain their visa status.

As many as 18 Indian students were radio tagged to prevent their fleeing. Anklet monitors of 11 of the students have since been removed following the intervention of the Indian consulate in San Francisco.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had in a Feb 22 letter to Shankar assured her that the State Department is following the case "closely and is working with the Department of Homeland Security and the Government of India to ensure fair and appropriate treatment of the students."

Reiterating the strong commitment to foster educational exchanges with India, Clinton also said, "Indian students make a strong contribution to both our countries and it is among my priorities to ensure that this pillar of our partnership remains strong".

source:http://indiaedunews.net/International/US,_India_working_to_resolve_woes_of_closed_varsity_students_13638/

US: New funding models for international education

One year ago, in a speech to American international education leaders in Washington DC, Chancellor Nancy Zimpher (pictured) of the State University of New York argued that presidents, chancellors and senior administrators cannot simply talk about making their campuses more internationalised - they must do something. She said: "Rhetoric is not going to get it done. We have to commit ourselves, we have to hold ourselves to public action." 

In the year since her speech, we at SUNY have been moving toward an approach we call 'performance-based reinvestment', which is designed to create the financial resources needed to achieve sweeping internationalisation goals. And we have developed tools that we hope will assist other American institutions of higher education to also meet their potential. This approach and these tools can be effective even as budgets are slashed.

It is particularly timely that this approach be shared now, given the administration's recently announced '100,000 Strong Initiative' and Obama's call in his State of the Union address to reform immigration laws so that the US retains talented and responsible foreign graduates of its colleges and universities.

With these calls, the Obama administration is clearly signalling the need for an aggressive posture both on the outbound and inbound sides of the international education equation. 

The dilemma

As Zimpher observed last year, many college and university presidents have made it a standard part of their talking points to set increasing targets for study abroad, faculty international engagement and curricular internationalisation.

While those of us charged with achieving these international objectives applaud this increased attention to the importance of internationalisation, many of us also note that in this economic environment the rhetoric is rarely matched by the budget to achieve these lofty goals. In fact, in many cases our international budgets are simultaneously being cut, even as ever-higher objectives are set.

With diminished resources and increasing expectations, is it better for international officers to encourage institutional leadership to pull back? In essence, to reduce expectations? We think not. Far better would be to persuade campus leadership to adopt a new approach that will increase our capacity to achieve the objectives that have been so publicly and repeatedly advocated, by both campus and national leaders.

But to do this we need entirely new sources of funds; ideally, funds that are sustainable and within our ability to nurture and grow. The approach being pursued by SUNY is intended to break the shackles of diminished resources and expectations.

SUNY's approach: Performance-based reinvestment

The United States remains the most desired destination for international students, and demand for international education continues to grow at a high rate. Yet despite the large numbers of international students on US shores, these students comprise less than 4% of our total enrolment in higher education.

Furthermore, although overall enrolment is currently at a national high water mark, all projections show looming declines in domestic enrolment, as the current demographic bulge moves through the system and the economy improves - both of which are inevitable over the next two to four years. In other words, we must anticipate increasing absorptive capacity at many US institutions. 

We must strategically tap into this market to both internationalise our campuses and provide the financial resources to achieve our objectives. It is critical to create a 'virtuous circle', connecting new income associated with international student tuition with the other imperatives of internationalisation, ie study abroad scholarships, faculty internationalisation grants, scholars-at-risk funding, international services infrastructure, etc. 

Showing your institution the way

The capacity building model we are advocating requires two things. First, senior university administrators must admit that their rhetoric is not currently matched with adequate funding. Second, they must agree to make international student recruitment a priority, but that it must be linked to the other key internationalisation goals. In other words re-invest some negotiated quantum of that new, 'found' revenue into the areas mentioned above.

It is time to put their money where their mouth is - and the strategy we outline here can help them do so.

SUNY has developed a simple forecasting model - a tool - that provides institutions with the means to make a compelling case for internal change. It allows administrators to demonstrate in concrete numbers how goals and allocations affect each other, and the desired outcomes.

Using this model, leaders can demonstrate the advantages of redirecting some percentage of incoming international tuition revenue back toward international operations holistically. It is up to each institution to determine how these funds would be allocated among its various priorities, be they study abroad scholarships, faculty internationalisation grants, programme subsidies, or professional development and administrative support systems. 

At SUNY we believe that with our tuition structure a 'sweep' of about 18% of the first year's international student tuition will be sufficient to meet very ambitious internationalisation goals. At your institution, the percentage may be less or more.

One thing is certain, however: much can be done with even a remarkably small 'sweep'. The forecasting model we have developed has allowed SUNY to test our recruiting assumptions against our core internationalisation capacity objectives. Other institutions can do the same. 

We encourage all colleges and universities to explore your own opportunities using this tool. Even small numbers can create meaningful impacts at small institutions; five new study abroad scholarships per year as a result of this strategy means five lives changed. However we believe that, in most cases, the benefits can be far more significant than just a few scholarships.

Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have issued a challenge with the '100,000 Strong Initiative', asking us to dramatically increase study abroad to China, yet providing no tangible funding sources beyond the suggestion that it be found by us in the private sector. 

How better to fund initiatives such as this one, than through revenue generated by incoming international student tuition revenue, which is, in fact, private sector-based? 

Time for action, from the top and from below

Now is the time for American colleges and universities to make the case for a more coherent national policy toward the export of US higher education services, and the recruitment of international students as a key component of that export trade.

There must be a rational discussion among key government agencies, including the Department of State, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Education, as well as leading educational associations and bodies such as NAFSA, IIE, AIEA, APLU, ACE, AIRC, the College Board and others. Now is the time for a summit designed to chart a new direction. 

But institutions should not wait for the summit. They can start at home, with their own institution. Now. They can share their successes and frustrations as they work toward a common goal of becoming the most internationalised system of higher education in the world, providing opportunities for all students to obtain the international experiences that they need to become productive members of the global workforce. 

SUNY's forecasting model is designed to allow all types of institutions - small and large, public and private - to concretely demonstrate how the changes advocated here can produce positive, tangible capacity improvements in a very short time. The model can be downloaded here.

* Mitch Leventhal is Vice-chancellor for Global Affairs at the State University of New York (SUNY). A version of this article was sent to members of the Association of International Education Administrators earlier this year. The AIEA holds its annual conference from 20-23 February. 

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source:http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20110211204106430

France wants to 'reinvent' English language teaching from age three

Philippines probes collusion with bogus schools; US publisher to target mobile learning in India; Rwanda threatens teacher training truants with sack

French Minister for National Education Luc Chatel is keen to start language learning in nurseries. Photograph: Mehdi Fedouach/AFP/Getty Images

Children could start learning English in France's nursery schools from age three as part of a strategic review of language education launched by education minister Luc Chatel.

Chatel announced last month that he wanted to "reinvent the learning of English" in schools. He said a team of specialists were examining a range of options aimed at boosting young people's skills in English and other foreign languages.

Specialists would investigate starting learning from age three, he said. "We have been experimenting with this and there have been some good results," he said.

He also wants to develop online language learning and to encourage more secondaryschool children to go on language-study trips to English-speaking countries.

But the minister's commitment to high-quality language teaching has been called into question. As part of cuts to education budgets announced last month, schools are likely to lose up to 1,000 specialist language assistants from classrooms from the start of the next academic year.

According to the Le Monde newspaper, educationalists are sceptical about using computers for language learning from such a young age. "Putting three-year-olds in front of computers?" asked Christian Chevalier, general secretary of the SE-Unsa teachers' union. "We are not opposed to developments in teaching that are useful. But you need a human to impart knowledge. Only a high-quality teacher who can speak English can teach the language," he said.

Philippines investigates collusion with fake schools

The Philippines bureau of immigration last month launched an internal investigation into the conduct of some of its officers, who are alleged to have helped bogus English language schools bring students into the country from South Korea.

Bureau acting commissioner Ronaldo Ledesma told the Philippines News Agency that a surge in the number of foreign nationals who were studying without permits could be linked to immigration staff working with language schools.

Ledesma said the investigations followed the recent arrest of 86 South Koreans and two Japanese minors found studying without visas. Last month 70 South Korean minors were held after a raid on a school at a resort in Batagas province, PNA reported.

US publisher to target mobile learning in India

US education publisher McGraw-Hill is to collaborate with technology services provider Wipro to deliver training content, including English language lessons, via mobile phones and laptops to users in developing countries. The mConnect platform will be piloted in India.

Meanwhile, US dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster has launched a version of its English language dictionary for iPhone users with voice recognition. Merriam-Webster claims that the free app allows users to look up a word by speaking it into their handsets.

Rwanda threatens teacher training truants with sack

Rwanda's ministry of education has warned teachers who failed to take part in a five-week English proficiency training course that they could be sacked.

Over 50,000 teachers were expected to take part in training as part of a national strategy to introduce English as the medium of instruction in schools. According to the government, 96% of teachers enrolled in the session, which ended in December.

Emmanuel Muvunyi, executive secretary of the teacher service commission in Kigali, told the New Times newspaper: "We know [the teachers] and we are going to take appropriate measures."

Max de Lotbinière
max.delotbiniere@guardian.co.uk

source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/internationaleducationnews

UK seeks to raise language entry levels

Proposals for tougher visa requirements put language skills at centre of bid to reduce bogus foreign students.

Open for study? Prime minister David Cameron meets schoolchildren in China. Photograph: ANDY RAIN/EPA

UK ministers are expected to put in place tougher English language requirements in a bid to reduce the number of students coming to Britain to study at below degree level.

Proposals to raise minimum English language skills levels were part of a range of options published by the Home Office last month which, if implemented, could see tens of thousands of students from outside the EU turned away.

Two-thirds of the non-EU migrants who enter the UK come on student visas and the government must bring down these numbers if it is to fulfil its pledge to cut net migration from 200,000 to below 100,000 by 2015.

Consultation on the proposals closes at the end of this month, but ministers are expected to move quickly to make changes to the rules for the Tier 4 student visa category.

Setting out the proposals, home secretary Theresa May said: "We want a student visa system which encourages the entry of genuine students coming to study legitimate courses – that means students who are equipped to study their courses."

Under current rules, students studying at below degree level must prove that they are already at level B1 in English. That level, referring to the Common European Framework of Reference, is approximately equivalent to intermediate language skills.

The UK Border Agency, which published the consultation, wants to raise that minimum level to B2, or "upper-intermediate competency", and to extend the requirement to all students, not just those studying at below degree level.

Under the proposals, only results from approved language tests will be accepted as proof of proficiency.

The UKBA consultation document stated: "Raising the language bar will act as evidence of a student's fitness to complete the course in English, as well as assisting with their integration with other students. Secure language testing will ensure that the person applying for entry is the person who sat and passed the language test."

Most UK universities, which already ask foreign students to meet proficiency requirements at or above B2, are unlikely to be affected by the proposals. The UKBA's intended target are private pre-degree-level colleges that have lower entry requirements and less independent scrutiny of language skills.

But the government has shown that it is willing to listen to lobbying from the education sector. Just days after the UKBA consultation was launched, immigration minister Damian Green announced that he was extending the period that English language learners can remain in the country under the student visitor visa from six to 11 months.

Green said the temporary extension, which came into effect at the start of the year, was in response to representation from English language teaching providers who argued that learners would need more time to reach higher minimum levels.

"This concession is intended to create flexibility to allow legitimate English language colleges to continue to offer opportunities to genuine students. I shall monitor closely the practical impact to ensure that it does not become a loophole," he said.

Tony Millns, chief executive of English UK, which represents English language schools, said: "This change will provide a route for English language students who are relative beginners and are likely to need a course longer to reach level B1."

source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/11/tefl-internationaleducationnews1