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| 'Harmful' UK student visa policy 'baffles' top academic | 'Harmful' UK student visa policy 'baffles' top academic |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The UK's policy on student visas is baffling, the vice-chancellor of Oxford University has told an audience of academics. | The UK's policy on student visas is baffling, the vice-chancellor of Oxford University has told an audience of academics. |
| Prof Andrew Hamilton said when he travelled abroad "one question persists - why has the UK adopted a visa system so hostile to student entry?" | Prof Andrew Hamilton said when he travelled abroad "one question persists - why has the UK adopted a visa system so hostile to student entry?" |
| "I do my best to answer but, frankly, the question baffles me as well." | "I do my best to answer but, frankly, the question baffles me as well." |
| The Home Office argues its overhaul of the student-visa system two years ago was necessary to tackle abuse. | |
| But Prof Hamilton said the policy of limiting international student numbers was now harming the UK. | But Prof Hamilton said the policy of limiting international student numbers was now harming the UK. |
| "For the first time in decades, the number of international students at our universities has dropped, most markedly from India," he said. | "For the first time in decades, the number of international students at our universities has dropped, most markedly from India," he said. |
| 'Evidence' | 'Evidence' |
| "Why are we doing this to them - and to ourselves?" | "Why are we doing this to them - and to ourselves?" |
| The government's policy of tightening up the student visa system has been criticised as damaging to the ability of UK universities to recruit economically valuable international students. | The government's policy of tightening up the student visa system has been criticised as damaging to the ability of UK universities to recruit economically valuable international students. |
| Prof Hamilton used his annual oration to the university to urge political parties to end student migrant targets and to use research-based evidence in forming election policies, particularly on immigration. | Prof Hamilton used his annual oration to the university to urge political parties to end student migrant targets and to use research-based evidence in forming election policies, particularly on immigration. |
| He cited recent research by Oxford's Migration Observatory, which, he argued, showed the public did not link overseas student numbers with immigration issues. | He cited recent research by Oxford's Migration Observatory, which, he argued, showed the public did not link overseas student numbers with immigration issues. |
| "Study is the least frequent answer given when the public are asked what they consider the motives for migration to be," Prof Hamilton said. | "Study is the least frequent answer given when the public are asked what they consider the motives for migration to be," Prof Hamilton said. |
| "Student migration simply isn't an issue for them and there are few votes in restricting overseas student numbers. | "Student migration simply isn't an issue for them and there are few votes in restricting overseas student numbers. |
| "There are signs that this reality is beginning to dawn across the political spectrum - something to be welcomed and encouraged ahead of the election." | "There are signs that this reality is beginning to dawn across the political spectrum - something to be welcomed and encouraged ahead of the election." |
| 'Public benefit' | 'Public benefit' |
| He added that university research could help shed light on "complex political and policy challenges" and "defy the temptation to reach for simple or simplistic answers". | He added that university research could help shed light on "complex political and policy challenges" and "defy the temptation to reach for simple or simplistic answers". |
| "In essence, we can provide the data, the understanding and the analysis to underpin arguments and the possible solutions for the problems we all face," he said. | "In essence, we can provide the data, the understanding and the analysis to underpin arguments and the possible solutions for the problems we all face," he said. |
| Prof Hamilton called for more recognition of the huge public benefit that higher education brought to the UK - "sadly benefit which far outstrips the level of public investment in our sector". | Prof Hamilton called for more recognition of the huge public benefit that higher education brought to the UK - "sadly benefit which far outstrips the level of public investment in our sector". |
| He noted that UK public investment in higher education stood at 0.9% of gross domestic product (GDP), "one of the lowest in Europe", and urged politicians to come up with "properly developed policies on higher education", which would benefit not only students and universities, but would also be "hugely beneficial to the public good". | He noted that UK public investment in higher education stood at 0.9% of gross domestic product (GDP), "one of the lowest in Europe", and urged politicians to come up with "properly developed policies on higher education", which would benefit not only students and universities, but would also be "hugely beneficial to the public good". |