APPG inquiry into international students: our response

The Chartered ABS submitted written evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group’s inquiry on a sustainable future for international students in the UK. Our submission highlights the positive impact international students have on the learning environment and how their experiences bring to life concepts of international trade, for example. We commented on the importance of international students in making many postgraduate programmes viable, as well as their financial contribution to their schools and wider universities.

The number of international students on business and administration courses has declined since 2012 after the Government’s decision to limit entitlement to post-study work visas. As the case studies in our response highlight, the benefits of international students go far beyond the generation of cross-subsidy and extend to enhanced cultural awareness and the development of enduring networks that transcend national borders and enable the UK to project soft power.

Our response calls for the reinstatement of a competitive and clearly-labelled post-study work opportunity so that the UK university sector is no longer at a competitive disadvantage relative to countries with less restrictive visa regulations. A more innovative and accommodating post-study visa scheme could develop valuable connections between the UK and the student’s home nation and thus generate future trade opportunities.

The evidence submitted by the Chartered ABS can be read in full here.