Universities are facing a levy of 6 per cent on the income raised from overseas students' fees under the UK government’s plans to reduce net migration.
The proposal was put forward in a plan published on Monday, which stated that fees paid by students coming to Britain contribute £12 billion ($15.85 billion) towards the higher education sector.
Fees form part of an overall £20.65 billion contribution to the economy made by international students “but it is right that these benefits are shared”, the government said.
The government is exploring a levy it says will be reinvested in the higher education and skills system and though a figure was not revealed, it is understood to be 6 per cent.
Under the proposals, graduate visas will be reduced to 18 months and the requirements that sponsoring universities must meet to recruit international students will be strengthened.
The UK government said there have been problems involving "misuse and exploitation of student visas" and "too many graduates" who stay in the UK after their studies are not moving into graduate-level jobs.
The plans form part of a pledge by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to significantly reduce migration, which has risen sharply in recent years and led to the rise of the anti-migration Reform UK party.
But university leaders have been warning of significant financial concerns caused by a drop in the number of international students, who can be charged higher tuition fees, following restrictions introduced by the previous, Conservative government, as well as frozen tuition fees paid by domestic students.
Last week, an analysis by the Office for Students, the higher education regulator, forecast that 43 per cent of universities and colleges in England would be in deficit this year.
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think tank, warned the proposed levy on international students “will be seen by many as a tax on a very successful UK export sector”.
Mr Hillman said other ideas were also “problematic”, particularly reducing the length of the graduate visa. He explained that “employers wanted to see an increase to three or four years, rather than a reduction, as new employees take months to become productive members of the workforce”.
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, said: “Following years of frozen fees, inadequate research funding and a rapid downturn in international students, the current operating environment is very challenging”.
"We would urge government to think carefully about the impact that a levy on international student fees will have on universities and the attractiveness of the UK as a study destination,” she said.
Business leaders are also warning that a levy and any restrictions on overseas students could have an adverse effect on the British economy.
Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of the Confederation of British Industry, said: "Policy changes that risk making the UK a less attractive place to study, or increase costs confronting universities, will have knock-on impacts for the competitive strength of UK higher education as a growth export and young people's ability to access degree-level education at home.
"These trade-offs need to be considered if the government is serious about developing domestic talent and driving growth."
Results:
5pm: Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Tahoonah, Richard Mullen (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m | Winner: Ajwad, Gerald Avranche, Rashed Bouresly
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: Duc De Faust, Szczepan Mazur, Younis Al Kalbani
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m | Winner: Shareef KB, Fabrice Veron, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,500m | Winner: Bainoona, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
The Programme
Saturday, October 26: ‘The Time That Remains’ (2009) by Elia Suleiman
Saturday, November 2: ‘Beginners’ (2010) by Mike Mills
Saturday, November 16: ‘Finding Vivian Maier’ (2013) by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Tuesday, November 26: ‘All the President’s Men’ (1976) by Alan J Pakula
Saturday, December 7: ‘Timbuktu’ (2014) by Abderrahmane Sissako
Saturday, December 21: ‘Rams’ (2015) by Grimur Hakonarson
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
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The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
RIVER%20SPIRIT
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
EXPATS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Why the Tourist Club?
Originally, The Club (which many people chose to call the “British Club”) was the only place where one could use the beach with changing rooms and a shower, and get refreshments.
In the early 1970s, the Government of Abu Dhabi wanted to give more people a place to get together on the beach, with some facilities for children. The place chosen was where the annual boat race was held, which Sheikh Zayed always attended and which brought crowds of locals and expatriates to the stretch of beach to the left of Le Méridien and the Marina.
It started with a round two-storey building, erected in about two weeks by Orient Contracting for Sheikh Zayed to use at one these races. Soon many facilities were planned and built, and members were invited to join.
Why it was called “Nadi Al Siyahi” is beyond me. But it is likely that one wanted to convey the idea that this was open to all comers. Because there was no danger of encountering alcohol on the premises, unlike at The Club, it was a place in particular for the many Arab expatriate civil servants to join. Initially the fees were very low and membership was offered free to many people, too.
Eventually there was a skating rink, bowling and many other amusements.
Frauke Heard-Bey is a historian and has lived in Abu Dhabi since 1968.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
