London: Indian students caught up in the crisis at the London Metropolitan University (LMU) will soon be able to find alternative courses at other varsities through a clearing system, official sources said on Thursday.
Business Secretary David Willetts told the House of Commons that the mini clearing system set up by a task force will begin functioning from September 17. The next academic year is scheduled to begin shortly.
Willetts` announcement came as lawyers hired by LMU prepared to apply for a judicial review in the high court of UK Border Agency`s decision to revoke the university`s licence to admit and teach Indian and other non-EU students.
Willetts said the decision to revoke the licence was a matter for the UKBA, and added: "Our priority now is to ensure that the university`s legitimate overseas students are given the help and advice they need to continue their studies.
"To deliver this I set up a taskforce within hours of UKBA`s decision which has already started work."
The crisis at LMU figured in the Prime Minister`s Question Time yesterday.
During questions on Business issues today, Labour MP Heidi Alexander said that the direct experience of one of her constituents was that the taskforce "is anything but useful".
She added: "She went as far as saying that it told her nothing that couldn`t be found on the UKBA website. What steps is the minister going to take to ensure that the help and advice that is given from that taskforce really enables legitimate students to access alternative courses?"
Willetts replied: "The crucial task which the university is engaged in now is preparing a kind of mini clearing system in which there will be firm information about places available at specific universities in specific courses that would be available for suitably-qualified overseas students at London Met."
He added: "I can tell her and the House today that that matching process will be open and starting on the 17th September and we also, of course, know that the UKBA will not be sending out any letters to the overseas students affected about their 60-day limit applying until October 1."
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.