Long suffering International students studying at London Metropolitan University (LMU) could afford to breathe a sigh of relief this week after a judicial verdict by a High Court judge granting over 2,000 overseas students the right to continue their studies.
This comes only a month after the university threw the future of these students’ lives at the university into doubt.
In August 2012, misgivings of the LMU management in administrating its cohort of foreign students resulted in the Government revoking the university’s license to sponsor international attendees.
The Home Office investigation discovered that there were a percentage of international students who were found not to be complying with their attendance quota, and some who were deemed not to possess rudimentary English speaking skills.
In doing so, many other hardworking international students who contribute so fruitfully to the enhancement of the UK’s reputation as an epicentre for higher education as well as galvanising the economy, were left without viable solutions – forced to either find alternative courses at other universities or face deportation.
In some exceptionally draconian cases, students in the middle of their course (for which they had paid substantial sums for) were left in the lurch as their student visas became void.
Some speculators assert that at best, this temporary reprieve will indicate to the government that punishing international students whose primary desire is to achieve excellence will only prove to be detrimental to the UK’s previously blossoming reputation as leaders in university study and research.
At worst however, some claim that it risks a curtailing of international students to whom the UK offer educational access, and in return, receive their knowledge and experience.
To those at the foothills of the Sussex Downs, the LMU ruling may have little significance and relevance, but take heed – the UKs eminence in higher education depends on the investment given to both domestic and international students.
Jack Williams
