Aberdeen University principal predicts return of international students if a 'more welcoming' Labour government takes power

George Boyne partly blamed recent ‘rhetoric’ from Conservative government for ‘huge hit’

The principal of Aberdeen University has signalled he believes a Labour victory in the next Westminster election can help reverse a recent downturn in the number of lucrative international students within five years.

George Boyne anticipated “more welcoming language” if there is a change in the UK government, although he said that any “uplift” might not materialise until 2026/27.

In recent months, Aberdeen University has been at the centre of huge row over proposed cuts to modern languages degrees and staff.

Professor George Boyne, principal of Aberdeen University

Other universities are also facing difficult decisions, as they struggle to balance the books following a reduction of 6 per cent, or £48.5million, in the funding provided by the Scottish Government to cover the tuition of Scottish students.

Meanwhile, costs are rising and the reduction in grant comes at a time when stricter UK Government immigration rules are making it harder to recruit fee-paying international students.

Robert Gordon University, also in Aberdeen, recently told staff it was opening a voluntary severance scheme, as it seeks to save £18 million, including through a reduction of as many as 220 posts.

In an interview with the Press and Journal, Prof Boyne said the higher education sector had not expected the UK Government’s decision to restrict student visas, which mean international students are no longer able to bring family members with them.

“At the time, there was the prospect of growth. We didn’t see any policy coming that would limit that growth,” he said.

“In fact, when Boris Johnson was prime minister, he set targets to expand the number of international students. We saw a supportive context for this.”

Of the immigration changes, the principal added: “That has discouraged a lot of people from joining us. They have gone to other countries instead. Numbers are down 45 per cent year on year. It is a huge hit.”

The university said it was the January intake of international students on taught postgraduate courses that was down by 45 per cent, and that this was in line with other UK universities.

In the interview, Prof Boyne said he expected the “rhetoric” surrounding international students to change if the Tories are ousted from power.

“We think more welcoming language will be used. There will be a different message about whether the UK welcomes international students,” he said.

And when asked where he sees Aberdeen University in five years, the principal answered: “Many if not all of our international students will have returned."

He also pointed to the expansion of “transnational education”, where the university already has bases in Qatar and China, as well as more online education.

“I fear our public funding will not be much better, because the money simply isn’t there, but we will have expanded our revenue to cope with that,” Prof Boyne predicted.

It was recently reported that Aberdeen University had complained about the quality of international students being recruited by a partner firm, through “pathway courses”.

In a published manifesto for the next UK election, Universities Scotland called for the next Westminster government to retain the Graduate Route visa, and introduce a regionally differentiated immigration policy within the UK to address Scotland’s need to attract and retain more international talent.

The UK Government has said: “We are fully focused on striking the right balance between acting decisively to tackle net migration, which we are clear is far too high, and attracting the brightest students to study at our universities.”