Universities UK Campaign to promote International Students
Universities UK Campaign to promote International Students
Universities UK are continuing with their activities to promote international students.
In recent communication to universities, Nicola Dandridge,Chief Executive of UUK reported that they are primarily targeting third parties, particularly politicians and leading journalists, the purpose being to encourage them to adopt and promote our messages, having considerable impact so far with this approach.
A selection of recent articles are included in the links below – each including details and arguments directly reflecting UUK briefings.
The Times (1 Nov)
Comment – Rachel Sylvester: May must shake off her Home Office mindset p25
Conservative Home (1 Nov)
Nicky Morgan MP: International students make us all richer – cutting their numbers would be a serious error http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2016/11/nicky-morgan-international-students-make-us-all-richer-cutting-their-numbers-would-be-a-serious-error.html
The Observer (30 Oct)
Comment – Will Hutton: Foreign students are key to our economic and intellectual life. Let’s welcome them https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/29/foreign-students-key-to-british-economic-and-intellectual-life
Daily Telegraph (28 Oct)
A 4‑point plan for universities to thrive post-exit, in the, by Alistair Jarvis, UUK Deputy CEO
The Telegraph (25 Oct)
Ben Howlett MP: Theresa May should be smart over immigration and take students out of the official figures http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/25/theresa-may-should-be-smart-over-immigration-and-take-students‑o/
Mail Online (14 Oct)
Brits don’t see foreign students as immigrants, survey finds http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-3837380/Brits-dont-foreign-students-immigrants-survey-finds.html
The Guardian (14 Oct)
Most Britons do not see foreign students as immigrants, survey shows https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/oct/14/most-britons-do-not-see-foreign-students-as-immigrants-survey-shows
The Times (14 Oct)
Foreign students are welcomed by overwhelming majority of voters
The Times, front page (13 Oct)
Ministers hide report on migrant numbers
The Times, (13 Oct)
Times Editorial: Welcome Students
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/welcome-students-wk6hzxmqv
Universities UK are also providing regular briefings to MPs and Lords setting out why it would be nonsensical to cut international student numbers and why differentiating by institutions would be damaging to the economy, local communities, universities, international relations and fly in the face of public opinion. They are particularly focussing on Conservative MPs with universities in their constituencies, Cabinet ministers who have expressed support for UUK’s position and those with strong access to or influence over key figures.
In her communication to universities, Nicola Dandridge said,
“Our political engagement activities include a number of meetings at ministerial level, briefing officials in key department (Treasury, Home Office, DfE, BEIS, No.10, DfExEU, DfIT) and meetings with the Home Secretary’s advisers. We are also engaging with key opposition spokespeople. Our latest understanding is that the consultation will be published in late November or December. The exact date is undecided as it requires sign-off from No.10.
We are grateful to you for your support in contacting business leaders, chambers of commerce, LEP chairs and local MPs to ask them to write to the PM in opposition to a reduction in student numbers. We are following up on the various leads that you have provided to us. We are also continuing to strengthen our evidence base, and will shortly be circulating an updated factsheet that sets out all the key arguments we are using, together with ‘myth busting’ FAQs on international students to challenge common misconceptions – for example inaccurate claims on over-stayers and impact on health services.
We will continue to maintain this pressure, both in the run up to the publication of the consultation, and then during the consultation period itself, and I will update you from time to time, bearing in mind the widespread concern in the sector about the government’s immigration strategy.”
Further information on UUK’s activities on immigration can be found here.
