New HEPI paper says the Home Office must share responsibility for international students with other Departments if the Government is to hit its own target for educational exports

One sector, two regulators: new HEPI paper says the Home Office must share responsibility for international students with other Departments if the Government is to hit its own target for educational exports

At a moment when international students are being increasingly drawn into wider political debates about immigration, a new Policy Note from HEPI calls for better coordination between the Office for Students (OfS) and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). It warns that overlapping regulatory requirements could lead to unintended consequences for both institutions and students. 

Written by Dr Olufunke Aluko-Daniels, College Director and Principal at Birmingham City University International College, the paper examines how the clash between the distinct responsibilities of each regulator is influencing institutional decisions on international student recruitment. As a result, the Government will struggle to meet their own target for increasing educational exports to £40 billion by 2030.

In the paper’s Foreword, Nick Hillman OBE, CEO of HEPI, questions if the challenging environment around migration policy may be better served by a new and truly cross-governmental approach to the internationalisation of education. He suggests the time has come for the Home Office to share formal responsibility for international students with other Whitehall departments. 

The Policy Note makes a series of practical and workable suggestions to help overcome the challenges outlined. These include clearer regulatory definitions, greater consideration of cumulative regulatory impacts, stronger coordination between the OfS and UKVI and agreed arrangements to protect students when sponsorship decisions disrupt their education. To access the press release and download the full report click here.