University of Glasgow cautioned regarding foreign student sponsorship non-compliance

The University of Glasgow has received a warning, granting it a three-month period to address multiple non-compliance matters concerning its sponsorship framework for international students. These problems were identified during a Home Office review of the university’s operations in June. In response, the university has now established a special working group to tackle these concerns and manage student visa requests. The specific nature of these issues has not been revealed. The Unison union reported that prior to the formation of this team, only four employees were handling applications for over 13,000 students. Branch secretary Kirsteen Fraser commented that the procedure had “ground to a halt,” a situation she noted staff had consistently alerted the university to. “We’ve gone from a situation where we had 3,000 sponsored students 10 years ago to 13,000 in 2024,” Fraser stated. “What has happened is the senior management group has failed to invest in staff and in systems at the university.” She added, “The focus for a long time has been constant growth without upscaling.” A university representative indicated that the audit had identified “several compliance issues” that require resolution within the upcoming three months. A spokesperson further commented: “We are confident that we can complete the required actions in the specified timescale.” They also assured, “In the meantime, all activities continue as normal.” The review was conducted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), an agency under the Home Office. Educational establishments wishing to accommodate international students – a crucial component of university funding in Scotland – are obligated to adhere to sponsorship responsibilities. These responsibilities encompass taking all feasible measures to verify students’ authenticity, ensure their compliance with immigration regulations, and confirm they complete their academic programs. Should these conditions be violated, UKVI will investigate the situation and determine suitable measures. A significant violation, such as one that “constitutes a serious threat to immigration control,” for example, could lead to the university’s sponsor licence being revoked. Kirsteen Fraser of Unison expressed the union’s hope that the impact of this situation on students would be an “absolute minimum.” She added that the union trusted that employees could address the issues. A Home Office spokesperson commented: “It is essential that sponsoring institutions comply with their sponsorship duties to avoid abuse of the system.” Ms Fraser stated that the taskforce formed after the audit was established with minimal consultation and that staff experienced pressure to participate. “That’s a sign of how badly the university has managed this, they’ve panicked,” she remarked. Fraser asserted that the university “absolutely” had the financial means to adequately fund its sponsorship framework. “We would expect this to be a wake up call,” she further stated. “Our members forewarned that this could happen for a long time.” This situation arises during the most challenging period of the year – not only Christmas but also exam time, with new students commencing in January. “This is just another crisis to deal with.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.