Universities Say Government Should Give “Ringing Endorsement” To Graduate Visas

The new government should give a “ringing endorsement” to the graduate visa route as part of its efforts to stabilise universities’ finances, according to the president of Universities UK (UUK).

Professor Dame Sally Mapstone ramped up pressure on Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, as universities scramble to fill vacancies amid fears international student numbers could drop following a change in visa rules.  

In an interview with PoliticsHome Mapstone welcomed a  “much more positive and constructive approach” from the new administration and said previous administrations had “talk[ed] down” to the sector.

But she called for more explicit support for visa rules that could attract international students to the UK as well for research funding. UUK is also lobbying for tuition fees paid by domestic students to rise in line with inflation. The real term value has fallen dramatically in recent years as a result of a freeze on domestic fees at a time of high inflation. 

Among the things Mapstone - who is also the Vice Chancellor at the University of St Andrews -  said that she would like to see from the government is a “ringing endorsement” for the graduate visa route which supports international students, and engagement on research funding to help universities “nurture” their research culture. 

"I hope that we would see an even clearer and more positive exposition of the importance of support for international students including a really ringing endorsement of the value of the graduate visa route which is such an important way of encouraging international students both to come and study in the UK and then to give something back afterwards," she said. 

The graduate visa allows people who have studied a UK bachelor’s degree,