When asked, by a rival campus newspaper, about my thoughts on what steps could be taken to improve life for overseas students in a general sense, I did question (not criticise) how much support is given to overseas students and economic migrants more generally. And this wasn’t aimed at the University- it was a point of consideration really for local authorities, central government and other organisations- particularly those, like the University, who directly recruit professionals or students from overseas.

For instance- one of the things I would question, is how much and what sort of support is available to partners, spouses and the families of students. The overseas students themselves will instinctively have better support mechanisms simply by virtue of being attached to an academic department. But what of any family members that come with them? From my own experience, I know that the local schools, and the University Nursery, all do a great job at supporting children of overseas students. There are a dozen or so languages spoken by children at St Lawrence’s Primary school, and Lord Deramore’s in Heslington uses the skills and experiences that the children and parents bring with them for the benefit of all the children in the school. But just because I know that these are good, doesn’t mean we should sit back and stop trying to improve things.

The type and nature of support afforded to overseas students is clearly only marginally, if at all, related to the 42 students who have apparently disappeared. But then I was answering a much more general question. So, far from ‘deftly shifting responsibility onto weaker shoulders’ I was giving my thoughts on a much broader issue.

Indeed, on the very specific issue of the 42 ‘missing students’ I made a very similar point to that contained in the final paragraph of this article.

nick a penny here; a penny there, nobody notices… nick a penny everywhere, and you’ve made a tidy sum.

There’ll always be some who’ll try and get away with whatever they can; the real issue here is the messed up student finance system since being centralised in Darlington… NOW THAT’S A BLOODY SCANDAL - THE SORT THAT NOUSE-NUS OUGHT TO BE FOCUSSING ON!
(not the jumping record of phantom fascists).