倫敦城市大學執照被收 留學生須轉學

赴英留學的同學們注意了。倫敦城市大學或被吊銷招收外國留學生的執照，已註冊在校的數千名非歐盟國家留學生均需轉到其他有執照的大學，否則將被遣送回國。該校由此成爲英國第一所被完全吊銷“高度可信贊助方”執照的大學，此前曾有兩所大學被暫扣執照，後來又被髮回。該校副校長對此決定表示很失望，並稱會努力確保學生在英國或其他地方找到可以繼續學業的學校。倫敦城市大學曾在2009年因爲過度招生而被罰款3650萬英鎊。邊境署監督員在檢查中發現，該校有國際學生在沒有有效簽證的情況下在校就讀，未就獲得學生簽證卻未到校註冊的學生向邊境署報告，對留學生的英語語言技能、學術能力和經歷未做充分測試。該校有權對邊境署的決定提起申訴，並在六個月內重新申請“高度可信贊助方”執照。

London Metropolitan University is to lose its licence to teach foreign students, it has been reported, becoming the first UK university to be stripped of its Highly Trusted Sponsor status by the UK Border Agency.

Malcolm Gillies, the university's vice-chancellor, told The Sunday Times that the decision would have an "immense" impact on London Met and its partners, warning that the students affected would include those already enrolled.

He said this would leave the university with a 15% shortfall in funding and unable to teach thousands of non-EU students – including those who have completed parts of their degrees and diplomas – who would have to be deported.

"Their surprise, shock and concern will be huge, and we shall work with them to ensure they have the widest range of options to continue their studies, either in the UK or elsewhere," he said.

Professor Gillies added that the university was "immensely disappointed" by the news, stating that it had done everything it could to demonstrate its fitness to continue educating overseas students since the UKBA suspended its highly trusted status six weeks ago.

Gillies denied the university was an "immigration threat". London Metropolitan had restored its reputation after a £36.5m fine in 2009 for over-inflating student numbers and was now "as diligent as any [institution] in the country" when it came to reporting enrolment data, checking foreign student attendance and meeting Home Office requirements on English language for higher learning.

The border agency's decision, which has not yet been formally announced but has been leaked to the Sunday Times, follows an audit of London Met earlier this month.

Its inspectors reportedly concluded that students were "continuing to study at [London Met] without valid leave [visas] despite the university having reassured us that this issue had been rectified".

They also found that the university had failed to report students who had secured study visas but had not turned up for courses, as well as shortcomings in the testing of English language skills and academic ability and records.

London Met is the first UK university to have its highly trusted status revoked, although two others - Glasgow Caledonian University and Teesside University - have previously had their licences suspended and then reinstated.

The university is entitled to appeal against the UKBA's decision, and will be able to reapply for Highly Trusted Sponsor status in six months.