Alex Proudfoot, Chief Executive of Independent Higher Education (IHE), said:
“This is a challenging set of proposals from a Government seeking to balance the immediate needs of the UK economy with the clear public demand for stronger controls which incentivise longer term investment in our skilled workforce.
“I welcome the Government's support for IHE's policy of redirecting revenue from the Immigration Skills Charge into the skills system itself, and look forward to working with the Department for Education to ensure that this funding gets to where it is most needed with a rapid response fund to build local skills.
“We are incredibly fortunate to attract so many talented students and professionals from around the world who choose the UK to deepen their knowledge and develop their skills, and any fine-tuning of policy must be accompanied by a clear signal of the warm welcome they will receive. In these uncertain times, we have a golden opportunity to be seen both as a safe harbour for students, scholars and scientists, and as the home of global professional learning – a place where industry, entrepreneurship and education converge.
“The responsible recruitment of students is what makes it possible to achieve the long-term sustainable growth of education as an export that we all want to see. IHE members, at the heart of their industries and communities, understand the importance of working together to make sure that the whole country benefits from the prosperity and influence that undoubtedly flows from the success of our international education sector.”