Thousands of overseas students on Thursday faced possible deportation from Britain after the government stripped a London university of its right to sponsor their visas. Amid alarm at the potential damage to the foreign student market in Britain - worth an estimated £14 billion (17.7 billion euros, $22.2 billion) - the government rushed to reassure foreign students that it was an isolated case.
London Metropolitan University had its Highly Trusted Status - which allowed it to sponsor visas for students from outside the EU - revoked by the UK Border Agency on Wednesday over alleged failings in its procedures. The move means current overseas students have 60 days to enrol on a course elsewhere, with more than 2,000 students facing deportation if they fail to find another university, according to the National Union of Students (NUS).
The union warned of "catastrophic" effects on Britain's industry for educating students from overseas - almost 300,000 non-EU students were enrolled in Britain in the 2010-11 academic year. The university said on its website: "The implications of the revocation are hugely significant and far-reaching... Our ABSOLUTE PRIORITY is to our students, both current and prospective, and the University will meet all its obligations to them."
Its vice-chancellor Malcolm Gillies described the accusations against the institution as "not particularly cogent" and said it would be fighting the government's decision. Immigration minister Damian Green told BBC radio that after an audit lasting six months, the Border Agency found "a serious systemic failure where it appears that the university doesn't have the capacity to be a proper sponsor".
He said that a quarter of students there lacked permission to stay in the country, while there was insufficient evidence that students spoke English and no proof that half of those enrolled had been attending lectures. Campaign groups claim that student visas have become the "back door" to Britain, especially for applicants from countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh.