UCU responds to government decision not to scrap the student visa scheme

Responding to news that the government would be retaining the graduate visa scheme, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'It is welcome news that this pernicious policy idea has been dropped. Instead of attacking migrants and undermining our universities, the government should be doing everything it can to welcome international students and staff into our higher education sector. The next government should go further and abolish the wider hostile environment policies which make the UK a less attractive prospect for overseas students. 

'The decision will be a welcome relief to institutions who rely heavily on international recruitment, but we urgently need wholesale reform of higher education funding which ensures universities are not reliant on international fee income to subsidise research and domestic students. Employers should be shouldering more of the cost for the supply of skills on which this country relies, not international students.'