Monitoring: UK lifts ban on international student recruitment

Bedfordshire University welcomes decision

The British government on Monday lifted a ban on recruiting international students by the University of Bedfordshire.

“Today’s decision confirms that the university can continue to issue Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) letters to new international students,” said a press release issued by the university here.

The decision comes after a detailed audit by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) of the University’s procedures for the management and monitoring of international students.

Welcoming the decision Bill Rammell, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, said: “We can now resume issuing CAS letters to new international students and we retain our Highly Trusted Sponsor status.”

Current international students were not affected in any way by the short pause in our ability to issue new CAS letters.

The Home Office stopped the university from issuing CAS letters to new international students on June 24th, 2014, when the Minister for Immigration and Security made a statement in the UK parliament regarding student visas.

Ashraf Jawaid, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, External Relations at the university added:  “Our courses are driven by world-leading research and are taught by some of the leading academics in their field.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2014.