The London Lens is a regular column by Darren de Souza, Senior Policy and Projects Officer, and Emily Dixon, Senior Research and Content Officer, which reflects on the implications of local and national policy on the capital’s higher education landscape.
In October 2022 London Higher published its own regional International Education Strategy, remarking that ‘there is a clear case for the capital to have its own International Education Strategy’. Those words could well have been written today! The recent local election results, policy developments and wider narrative underscore the importance of considering regional nuances to these discussions, especially given London’s diverse demographics and student population.
Immigration white paper
The new immigration white paper will have profound impacts on London’s higher education institutions, their international students, staff and researchers, and all the communities and industries they serve. All changes made to international students’ ability to enter the UK will have an outsized impact on London, the country’s gateway for international students and the study location of almost 30% of the UK’s international learners.
London will likely be hit hard and first by impacts that ripple out from policy changes affecting international students. In 2022, international students contributed a net economic impact of £9.59 billion to the London economy. It is worth reflecting on this statistic given the white paper’s stated aim for sponsoring institutions to ‘consider local impacts when taking its decision on international recruitment.’
The Graduate Route Visa being reduced to eighteen months risks highly skilled and trained graduates appearing less desirable to employers as the return on investment employing these graduates goes down. The blanket salary threshold may also preclude students from certain disciplines (for example, creative arts) from being building an invaluable portfolio of experiences that they need to succeed long-term in their fields. The proposed levy on higher education providers’ international recruitment will have a complex impact on London’s diverse landscape. Detailed consultation with the institutions will be needed to understand how the levy can be brought in without unintended consequences.
Soft power
Further to the policy implications, how does increasingly heated discourse surrounding migration and diversity affect perceptions of UK and its international standing? London Higher, as a member of the UK Soft Power Group, has contributed to the group’s latest report, which highlights the appeal and importance of the country’s higher education system, alongside its rich cultural, economic, sporting and social assets, in securing positive perceptions of the UK.
Recognition of – and investment in – these national assets serve to underpin the government’s growth mission, bolstering the country’s position as a trusted global partner. We therefore continue to keep a very close eye on the unfolding policy-political decisions in this shifting landscape.
