I think this is fairly common Nick - here the University asks all
students to sign in once a week, but doesn't check the detail for each
and every seminar/lecture etc. I'm not certain how this plays with
overseas students, but can't imagine that it exactly makes you feel very
welcome! The University had a UKBA visit last year and I think this
system passed their scrutiny, but only just. As far as I know it hasn't
been much of an issue amongst staff, though I'd need to get the views of
those departments (especially our business school) which have large
numbers of non-EU students.
David Gibbs
Professor of Human Geography and Head of Department
Department of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences
University of Hull
Hull
HU6 7RX
Email [log in to unmask]
Tel. 01482 465330 (direct)
Tel. 07734 821968 (Mobile)
Fax 01482 466340 (Geography)
www.hull.ac.uk/geog/staff/Gibbs.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nick Megoran
Sent: 07 February 2013 12:03
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: attendance monitoring and the UK border agecny
Dear Critters,
My university introduced an attendance monitoring programme last
September. My understanding is that this was a response to demands from
the UK Border Agency that universities should be able to confirm that
non-EU students on student visas are actually participating and
attending, and concern that failure to demonstrate this could make it
hard to grant visas. For my department this has involved a paper
register passed round all lectures and seminars. This information is
then collated by administrative staff. The university is currently
devising a strategy for the next academic year.
I am emailing because I'd like to know what has been happening
elsewhere. How have your universities responded? Have you run registers
of all students at all lectures, seminars, etc? If not, what have you
done? I for one would find this information useful as our university
discusses how to move forwards.
And I am also interested in what resistance and critical reflection
there has been. Has there been open debate, boycotts by staff or
students, genuine consultation, etc? Has the data been used in other
ways, for example passed to tutors for pastoral care to spot students in
difficulty?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences here,
Peace - Nick
--
Dr Nick Megoran,
Lecturer in Political Geography,
Co-convenor, Northumbria and Newcastle Universities Martin Luther King
Peace Committee, Honorary Chaplain to Newcastle University, School of
Geography, Politics and Sociology, 5th Floor, Claremont Tower, Newcastle
University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU.
Tel: 0191 222 6450
Personal website: www.megoran.org
Chaplaincy website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/chaplaincy/
**************************************************
To view the terms under which this email is
distributed, please go to
http://www2.hull.ac.uk/legal/disclaimer.aspx
**************************************************
|