The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, Professor Graham Galbraith, was a guest blogger for the Higher Education Policy Institute this week. In his blog entry, Professor Graham Galbraith argued that publication of the number and success rate of visa applications for international students would help inform universities, international students, the government and the public alike. The likely losers in this scenario would be those who seek to manipulate public opinion via the concept or scare tactic of international students exploiting or gaming the system. The full post can be read here.
Given that international students are becoming an increasingly important source of income for universities, due to decreased government funding, sharing information about successful visa applications is obviously in the best interest of the universities. Additionally, increased income from overseas students could also be beneficial for domestic students as a means of counteracting the need for increased fees. Economical aspects aside, increasing the number of international students would seem like a positive step from a philosphical or aspirational perspective. Not only would this increase diversity within universities, expose students to a broader range of views and experiences, but it could also potentially contribute to creating additional opportunities for the international students and their local communities on the student's return home. Viewed from that perspective, one wonders why the government is opposed to greater transparency?
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