Plans to slash the number of foreign university students would be “deeply impoverishing” to the country, the principal of St Andrews University has said.
In a withering attack on a key UK Government policy, Professor Sally Mapstone claimed there would be “severe economic and cultural effects” of Home Secretary Amber Rudd’s bid to tie learners’ rights to the quality of courses.
Prof Mapstone outlined her concerns about attempts to cut immigration before Brexit in a letter, seen by The Courier, which was sent to the SNP’s Europe spokesman, Stephen Gethins.
She wrote: “The Home Secretary has promised to reduce international student numbers by differentiating by quality of the course and quality of the institution.
“Scotland’s 19 higher education institutions reject the introduction of any restriction on their ability to recruit international students on the basis of supposed differentiation in ‘quality’.
“All 19 of Scotland’s higher education institutions provide consistently high quality education which is rigorously and externally assessed by the Quality Assurance Agency.”
The former pro-vice-chancellor for Education at Oxford University added: “St Andrews has been an international seat of learning since its foundation in 1413. Its early links were with Europe and now we recruit extensively from across the world. Almost 50% of our students come from outwith the UK.
“Our graduates are truly global citizens, and we would regard any attempt to restrict their recruitment as deeply impoverishing to Scotland and the UK, culturally and economically.”
It is estimated that non-EU students contribute £444 million in fees and £488 million in off campus expenditure in Scotland.
Prof Mapstone argued that tuition income is “fundamental” to securing the 7,000 jobs linked to the university.
North East Fife MP Mr Gethins has now been in touch with both Ms Rudd and UK Education Secretary Justine Greening to raise the concerns.
He said: “We should be proud of the University of St Andrews’ international prestige that attracts some of the brightest and best from around the world.
“Reducing the number of international students would have a deeply damaging impact on the university, including the jobs it supports directly and indirectly on a financial level. It would also have a negative impact on the town and local area to have fewer international students come and join us.”
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “We welcome international students who want to come to the UK to study at our world-leading educational institutions and we are committed to making sure we can attract the brightest and the best to do so. At the same time we must make sure that what we offer brings real benefits to this country.
“We are considering what more we can do to strengthen the system to support the best universities — and those that stick to the rules — to attract the best talent. This is not about pulling up the drawbridge to international students but making sure those students that come here, come to study.”
