Professor Bernard King CBE, Convener of Universities Scotland, wrote to the Secretary of State for Scotland on 19 November to highlight Universities Scotland’s concerns about potential changes to the UK’s immigration policy following the Migration Advisory Committee’s report on annual limits on economic migration of skilled and highly skilled workers.
In his letter, Professor King emphasises the critical importance to Scotland of our internationally-focussed university sector in terms of the contribution made by both international staff and students to Scottish universities, society and to the economy.
Professor King said:
“We cannot stress too strongly how damaging it would be to Scottish universities and the Scottish economy if the current financial challenges facing universities in the light of budget cuts were compounded by further restriction on the recruitment and employment of overseas students. This would, bluntly, represent a ‘perfect storm’ of financial challenges to universities.”