international students

The latest protest against the decision to revoke London Metropolitan University's license to teach international students took place yesterday outside the Home Office and Downing Street. Around 200 student and staff from the university joined together, with the foreign students who must now transfer universities or face deportation leading the demonstration.

This is only a latest in a number of protests and outspoken statements from various well-known figures against the UK Border Agency's decision to remove London Met's status as a ‘highly trusted sponsor' for non-EU students. The decision made less than a month before the start of the new academic year left thousands of students stranded.

In an attempt to minimise the damage, a number of the largest higher education organisations in the UK met yesterday to try and work out the best way forwards for the students left stranded by the decision. They hope to be able to offer every one of the international students who have been left without a place at London Met, place at a different university instead. A clearing system is expected to be announced shortly.

After having its license to teach international students revoked last week, London Metropolitan University announced last night that they will be challenging the decision. In a statement, followed up by interviews by the vice-chancellor, the university strongly refuted the claims from the UK Border Agency and made it clear they will be taking immediate legal action.

The statement appeared on the university's website on Monday night and strongly denies the claims of UKBA:

"There is no evidence of systemic failings, as claimed. The evidence that we provided to UKBA clearly shows on file after file that we were taking every reasonable measure we could to be compliant."

It went on to describe how UKBA had significantly changed their requirements at least 14 times in the last three years and this is "creating confusion across universities in the country".

London Met now hopes to appeal against the decision, taking legal action "as a matter of urgency" in order for its students to return to study as soon as possible. Indeed, the vice-chancellor Professor Malcolm Gillies was in bullish mood during interviews, asserting:

A protest is building outside Downing Street this afternoon as students and NUS members gathered to show their anger over the treatment of London Metropolitan University's international students.

Thousands of non-EU students have been left stranded after finding out today that London Met has lost its license to admit international students. The judgement from the UK Border Agency leaves 2,600 students with no university to attend when the new term starts in less than a month and with visas that will run out in just 60 days.

The university's international students find themselves in an impossible situation. Existing students returning for their second or third years, as well as new students arriving for their first year, now face a desperate scramble to try and find a place at a different university.

"Serious, systematic failure"

The whole process started when London Met was first warned earlier in the year about their treatment of international students and abuses of the student visa system. They then had their status as a ‘highly trusted sponsor' suspended by UKBA over a month ago.

Angelique is originally from the Seychelles and has recently finished as a Law student at the University of London. Here she looks at the joy of studying in London.

"Dearest London,

"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any belied with false compare."
"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun"
Sonnet 130, William Shakespeare

Leaving you has not been easy. I think of you every now and then and all the memories we hold. Three years and you have taught me a lot. How to live on a student budget in one of the most expensive cities in the world. How to pick the right people to trust. How to be strong and choose the library over the ‘bright lights'. You have often caused me distress with suspended tube lines, masses of people during rush hour and losing my shoe on the railway track. I would like to think it was all tough love and now wherever I go I'll be able to survive.

One of the hottest topics on the higher education agenda at the moment, is whether to include international students in the immigration statistics for Britain. Currently they are included, but there is a growing list high profile figures arguing that they shouldn't be.

Watch the BBC report below to get an idea of the arguments for and against. What do you think? Leave your comments below.