Every region of the UK should develop its own strategy to recruit international students to university courses aligned with local skills needs, politicians have recommended.?

In a report on the regional impact of foreign students published on 3 September, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Students called for international education to be ¡°systematically integrated into regional development strategies rather than treated as a separate policy area¡±.

The group, chaired by Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed and House of Lords member?Karan Bilimoria, also called on the government to publish ¡°detailed regional data¡± covering students, their dependants and post-study employment.?

It claims, by focusing on national statistics instead of regional capabilities, that the current approach to measuring and managing international student flows ¡°represents a fundamental policy misalignment that has distorted UK strategy for over a decade¡±.?

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The report follows?concerns about the impact of international students?and their families on local communities, as some parts of the UK suffer from housing shortages and a lack of school and?general practitioner places.

The group said its inquiry found ¡°no definitive evidence that international student recruitment growth specifically placed undue pressure on local accommodation, transportation or other services¡±.?

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However, partially as a response to these issues, the former government?last year banned most international students?from bringing their families with them when coming to the UK.?

And, earlier this year, when?setting out plans?to reform the UK¡¯s immigration system, the government said it would ensure a university can ¡°demonstrate that they are considering local impacts when taking its decisions on international recruitment¡±.?

The report argues that there is currently ¡°little consistent evidence or infrastructure to assess those local impacts in a meaningful way¡±.?

¡°Regional international education strategies could provide a useful framework for?institutions to demonstrate alignment with local needs ¨C helping them meet policy?expectations while also informing more responsive and sustainable approaches to?recruitment and support,¡± the report says.?

It says international education could be used to address regional labour market challenges by strategically recruiting foreign students on to courses related to local skills needs.?

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Data gathered by the APPG inquiry shows that London had the biggest share of international students in 2023-24 at 28.4 per cent, followed by Scotland at 10.1 per cent and the south east at 8.7 per cent.?

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland and Wales were at the bottom of the list with 2.2 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.?

The report highlights the economic impact of international students, particularly in regions where the share of students is high and alternative export sectors are limited.?

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¡°A reduction in student numbers would have minimal local disruption in London, but in?places like Manchester, Sheffield and Exeter it could significantly undermine regional prosperity,¡± it says.?

In particular, it says proposed changes to?shorten the graduate route?visa from two years to 18 months could ¡°further compound existing regional disparities¡±.

¡°Stakeholders have warned that numerous graduate roles demand at least [two years], making the proposed reduction a potential barrier to career progression, forcing international students into the Skilled Worker route which is less accessible outside London and the Southeast [due to minimum salary requirements].?

¡°International students are therefore less likely to stay in the regions they studied, should the Graduate Route visa be shortened to 18 months,¡± it says.

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helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com