New official figures show that universities and other sponsors of international students reported at least 27,121 non-EU students to the UK Border Agency in the 18 months leading up to August last year.
As part of new rules to tighten the students visa system and prevent its abuse, academic staff are required to report to immigration authorities if non-EU students are absent from classes or if their activities arouse suspicion. The Universities and College Union said “pressure on staff to spy on their students” would create an environment of mistrust on campus and risked jeopardising the crucial relationship between staff and students.
Varsities are now required to report suspicious or bogus students or risk being stripped of their licence to sponsor students from outside the EU, who pay more than three times the fee paid by UK students.