Internationalism

Internationalism: Why we need a union-led campaign against new Home Office regulations for International Students For those that are unaware, the government has bought in new regulations for international students under the points-based system for immigration. The new rules require university lecturers to monitor international students and to report any absences from seminars, lectures and tutorials, as well as any failure to submit assessment on time. They also demand compulsory ID cards for international students, as well as international students having to prove they have £9000 for tuition fees plus £800 per month whilst they are here, so if a student is doing a three year course, they must have over £20,000 in their bank account even before applying.

These new regulations force international students into becoming second-class students in a supposedly ‘world-class’ educational system. It forces lecturers to report on international students back to the Home Office, it greatly decreases the chances of poorer international students from applying to study in the UK, and it creates an additional financial burden for those who perhaps stress enough about living and learning in another country. The University of Kent prides itself on being an ‘International’ and ‘European’ university, however it has raised no concerns over the new regulations, no academic institution has. Last December a ‘wildfire’ campaign against the new regulations hit Kent. We had over 4,000 students sign a petition against the new regulations, which was then taken to Downing Street with a delegation led by Lotty Brouwer, Kent Union International Officer. The group also successfully passed a motion at Union Council mandating Kent Union to oppose this, and to officially organise a campaign against the new regulations. However, after the winter break the issue went silent. Kent Union did not take up the campaign against the new regulations. Kent Union, and the University of Kent, has also failed in informing its international student members of the new regulations and what they entail. I’ve pledged to make the campaign against new Home Office regulations for international students a priority. We can no longer simply just offer international student members ‘cultural space’ in the form of World’s Fest, we must confront the first serious issue facing international students in a long while. I want to see a Kent Union-led campaign of non-compliance against the new rules. As Union President I will put pressure on the University to commit itself to non-compliance, that means not forcing lecturers to monitor international students, and not forcing international students into following the new rules. Every international student I have spoken to has deep reservations about the new regulations and what it means for them. Non-compliance is an act of peaceful civil disobedience, but if taken up by an academic institution, one that does have a high volume of international students, then this will send a strong message to the government that regulations such as these cannot be tolerated in higher education.

Kent Union must continue to support its international student members, we must be there to not only campaign on behalf of them, but to give them advice, and ensuring that they don’t fall victim to the regulations.