British Council reassures Saudi students at LMU

DAMMAM: The British Council Friday assured Saudi students at London Metropolitan University that their interests would be fully protected.
Nearly 200 Saudi students are among those who have been affected by the UK Border Agency’s (UKBA) decision to revoke the university’s “Tier 4” visa license.
In a statement to Arab News, British Council (Saudi Arabia) Director Adrian Chadwick, who is also the cultural counselor at the British Embassy in Riyadh, admitted that it had been a very uncertain and difficult period for Saudi students at the university.
“The UK government has been working very fast to set up a taskforce to manage the situation in a way that prioritizes the interests of the affected students,” he said. “The good news is that in a short space of time some important decisions have been taken that protect students’ interests.”
The taskforce has stated that all legitimate undergraduate students will be offered a place at a comparable university, “if at all possible in London.”
“Additionally, solutions are being put in place for post-graduate students, and it has been agreed that master’s degree students who have just submitted or are about to submit their dissertations will be unaffected and their degrees will be unaffected,” said Chadwick.
He reiterated that no other university was affected by the unprecedented action. “The UK continues to welcome international students to our friendly, high-quality universities,” he said.
British Council Assistant Director Mahmoud Mouselli told Arab News that the university’s Tier 4 visa license had been revoked on Aug. 29.
“This UKBA decision relates to the administrative requirements placed on universities in order to gain and retain highly trusted sponsor status; it does not relate to the quality of education provided by London Metropolitan University,” said Mouselli.
British universities, he said, were audited by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, which safeguards quality and standards in universities and colleges, so that students have the best possible learning experience.
This is an isolated incident, reiterated Mouselli and quoted the official UKBA statement to drive his point home. “These are problems with one university, not the whole sector. British universities are among the best in the world, and Britain remains a top-class destination for top-class international students,” Mouselli quoted from the UKBA statement.
British Minister of State for Universities and Science David Willetts has announced the formation of a task force to support the students affected by the decision. Its sole aim is to support London Metropolitan University to find suitable alternative courses with other higher education providers for legitimate and appropriately qualified students, so that they can continue their studies in the UK.
The Saudi Cultural Attaché in the UK, Faisal Abaalkhail, has also announced the formation of a committee to support the Saudi students currently studying at London Metropolitan University. The committee has arranged a number of meetings with other universities that are keen on taking Saudi students.
Mouselli said the UK Border Agency had confirmed that it would not take immediate action to curtail the leave of legitimate students. The students will be given at least three months to make alternative arrangements. They have started approaching other universities with a view to starting or continuing their studies elsewhere. In order to facilitate this process, the task force is supporting London Metropolitan University to set up a “clearing house” to help the university’s overseas students find a place with another university.
The Saudi Cultural Bureau in the UK has also formed a committee to support the transfer of the Saudi students to other UK universities.
Mouselli said the UK had a long history of welcoming international students, including Saudis, to study at its universities and colleges. “Nearly 300,000 international, non-EU students enrolled at British universities during 2010-2011,” he said. “Over 600,000 students a year come to study English in the UK.”