University to spy on students

The University of Warwick has started its implementation of the new requirements for international student visas.

The UK Border Agency now requires universities to sponsor and keep track of their international students, though the University of Warwick plans to monitor all students—home and international—to the standards set out by the Border Agency.

The student tier of the Border Agency’s Points-Based System for immigration comes into effect at the end of this month, and requires universities to ensure that international students attend classes and have the appropriate documentation to study in the UK. Universities are also required to obtain a Border Agency licence to teach international students. The University of Warwick’s Border Agency licence was granted on 14 February.

A press release from the University of Warwick says, “under the licence the University is required to keep records and fulfil certain reporting duties in accordance with the regulations set out by the UKBA. […] Any moderation to current procedures for monitoring the academic progression of students will build on existing best practice and will apply to all students, not just those subject to the visa regime.”

The consequences of students missing contact hours are likely to become stricter, as will the monitoring of student attendance.

Warwick Students’ Union Education Officer Mo Surve agreed with the plan to apply the restrictions to all students, saying, “from our perspective it’s unfair to take on a certain group of students. If the university’s doing something, it should do it for all its students—home students might be able to get away with missing ten contact hours whereas an international student would get in trouble for it.” He also mentioned that the Union is “totally against” increased monitoring.

Surve also said that the Aldwych Group of Russell Group universities’ students’ unions would be coordinating a campaign against the points-based system and ID cards.

International students expressed misgivings about the plan.

“It’s okay if you have proof, but it’s not okay if someone is perfectly innocent and has done nothing against the laws. What’s important is you keep up with your work, whether you do that on your own or in class,” said Arjun Gupta, a 3rd year engineering student from India.

He also said the plan would have affected his decision to study in the UK. “I probably would have gone somewhere where they take it much more lightly. Education is serious, but not to the extent to scrutinise people.”

“I don’t see a need for the university to monitor students,” agreed Eunice Sin, a 2nd year law and business student from Singapore. “If people aren’t responsible enough to go to class then they have to deal with the consequences. [Monitoring attendance] is like going back to secondary school,” she continued.

According to the University of Warwick International Office’s website, the points-based system is “based on two fundamental principles:” the idea that because universities benefit from the recruitment of international students, they should take on a greater role in ensuring that “the [immigration] system is not abused,” and the need to ensure those entering the UK are doing so for legitimate reasons.

The specifics of what the University’s responsibilities will include are yet to be determined, as the Border Agency’s final guidelines for universities have not been released. The Border Agency says it will release the guidelines this week. The University has, however, set up a Project Board to help prepare for its new responsibilities. The board has been relying on information from other organisations while awaiting the final report from the Border Agency.

The University was unavailable for further comment.