Sir Andrew Stunell sets out the Liberal Democrats' new policy on international mobility, which was approved at its spring conference in York yesterday.
Higher education is one of the UK’s most successful export markets. International students were worth an estimated £13 billion in 2012, which expected to rise to £16 billion over the next five years. Furthermore such students build long-term professional links with British organisations during their stay, helping British businesses to trade in the future and thus continuing the economic benefit they bring to the UK even once they have graduated and returned home.
It therefore makes sound economic sense to welcome and encourage talented international students to study in the UK. The more the better, provided they have the skills to benefit from study. Talk of caps and of “hordes” isn’t just pointless, it is deeply counter to the best interests of the UK and, indeed, of UK students, whose access to courses often depends on foreign demand and fees to deliver them. However not everyone agrees. One Conservative minister has even gloated over the fall in student numbers from India at the same time as universities are sending teams there to boost recruitment.
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