International students bring £8 billion per year to our economy, and create tens of thousands of jobs. They enrich our culture, our local and national businesses, and our pursuit of knowledge, and help us to remain both connected and competitive internationally.
Now the Tories have announced plans to 'crack down' on 'foreign' students in a move that critics say reflects a lack of basic understanding about how universities currently function or the value of international students.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd's plans to severely limit international students were described as “spectacularly ill-informed” and “an act of madness” by Paul Blomfield, co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on international students.
Rudd wishes to prioritise certain elite courses and institutions and keep those open to international students, meaning that those wealthy and privileged enough will be immune from exclusion as per usual in Tory Britain.
The aim of these plans is to ride on the back of the current rise in racist sentiment, encourage xenophobia, and create another scapegoat for the painful reality of Tory austerity. These plans won't undo back-breaking university fees or damaging cuts. They are just another step towards elitism and division.
Please sign this petition to demand that the government back down on plans to curb 'foreign' students. International students bring the UK billions of pounds each year and are an invaluable part of our connection to the world. Together we can make it clear that we don't want to go backwards to punitive exclusion and xenophobia.
