I think the word we should be looking for is 'visas', and definitely not 'immigration'.
The whole nub of the debate is that overseas (non-EEA) students, and those on postgraduate courses in particular, are NOT immigrants - they are temporary migrants who are only permitted into the country for very limited time periods associated solely with their study, for which they pay handsomely to the benefit of UK plc. It's a ludicrous sleight of hand to claim that they are in the same bracket as real 'immigration'.
The 'public concern' that the government claim to be acting over is the mistaken notion, totally lacking in any real evidence by the way, that student visas including those for postgraduate courses are somehow a backdoor route to permanent immigration, when the real problem that 'the public' identify is the far larger group of unskilled EU economic migrants that do not need visas (also mistaken but a different story entirely).
The old Aesop's fable about killing the goose that laid the golden egg is probably apposite for HE to explain how wrong the government are on this. How we deal with it, both politically and institutionally, is a high priority challenge however worthy of discussion at an event like this.
Mike Milne-Picken
Academic Registrar
Royal Northern College of Music
124 Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9RD
T (44) 0161 907 5331
F (44) 0161 273 8188
E [log in to unmask]
www.rncm.ac.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Admin-student [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jane Penrose
Sent: 05 January 2011 16:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: LAST FEW PLACES: PG Marketing Forum: What next for the Postgraduate Marketplace?
Thanks for that reminder, Paul - this session will certainly be covering the
issue of alternative overseas options as a threat to the UK pg marketplace,
but you are right that we should also ensure we discuss the additional
threat posed by any caps on student immigration and as you say many courses'
dependence on overseas students. A shrinkage in the UK market due to
financial considerations, with the additional threat of a shrinkage in the
international market due to immigration limits or disincentives would indeed
produce a pincer movement.
Best wishes
Jane
Jane Penrose
Director, PostgraduateStudentships.co.uk and MastersCompare.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Admin-student [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul
Hubert
Sent: 05 January 2011 3:33 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: LAST FEW PLACES: PG Marketing Forum: What next for the
Postgraduate Marketplace?
I'm a bit surprised not to see in there a single mention of the word
'immigration', given that the government/UKBA are in the middle of
consulting about changes and the dependence of many courses on recruiting
international students for financial viability. I wouldn't want to downplay
the threat of the other funding changes in any way, but there's a pincer
movement going on! Have I missed something here?
Paul
________________________________________
From: Admin-student [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jane Penrose
[[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 05 January 2011 15:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: LAST FEW PLACES: PG Marketing Forum: What next for the Postgraduate
Marketplace?
*** APOLOGIES FOR ANY CROSS POSTING ***
Dear Colleague
Thursday 27th January 2011, London (the day after the London PG Fair)
Themes: What next for the Postgraduate Marketplace?
Issues and implications for PGT and PGR, AND New messages, approaches and
markets
Recent government announcements about HE funding, and December's vote on the
increase in UG fees, have enormous implications for the future of the PG
marketplace in the UK, both PGT and PGR. This Forum event is specifically
intended for administrators, marketers and academics, all of whom will be
affected by these changes and have a role in shaping their Universities'
responses to the changing PG marketplace. We'll be looking at long and
short terms issues for the PG marketplace, but also, as ever, what this
means in practical terms for the messages we send out, the approaches we
make to potential postgraduates, and to the changing marketplace.
This event has proved extremely popular and we now have only a very small
number of places left
places available. If you are planning to attend, booking in the near
future is recommended as we anticipate closing the list shortly.
Further details and a provisional programme are given below. As always, we
are offering a discount if you, or a colleague in your department, have
attended a previous event.
More information on the Forum, and an online booking form for this event
can be found at:
http://www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk/providers_advertisers/postgraduate
_marketing_forum
We look forward to seeing you at the event.
Best wishes
Jane
Jane Penrose
Director, PostgraduateStudentships.co.uk and MastersCompare.co.uk
EVENT DETAILS
In the morning session, we will be discussing the various implications of
the UG fees rise and the reduction/withdrawal of teaching money in some
subject areas for PGT, and possible impacts on the PGT and PGR markets, in
2011, 2015 and beyond, as well as Universities' possible responses. Paul
McDermott, AD Research & Postgraduate / Director of the Postgraduate Scheme
at London Metropolitan University will be speaking as part of this
Session.
In the afternoon, we will be looking at how Universities can engage
practically with increasingly indebted and cash-strapped potential
postgraduates to ensure that there continues to be a viable postgraduate
market within the UK - looking at new markets, new approaches, and new
messages that Universities may wish to explore.
Provisional Programme - subject to change and confirmation
9.30 Registration and Coffee
10.00 Introductions
10.15 What next for the PG Marketplace - Issues and Implications for PGT
and PGR
Paul McDermott, AD Research & Postgraduate / Director of the Postgraduate
Scheme at London Metropolitan University will be speaking as part of this
session
11.30 Key Issues and Questions: small group discussion and structured
networking session
12.15 Plenary Discussion and group feedback
13.00 Lunch and informal/themed networking
13.45 Changing Messages, Approaches and Markets - keeping the PG market
alive in the UK
15.00 Group Discussion: what matters, What Works? - information sharing,
questions and networking
15.45 What Works? Highlights, Round-up and What Next?
16.00 Close
More information on the Forum, and an online booking form for this event
can be found at:
http://www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk/providers_advertisers/postgraduate
_marketing_forum
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