伦敦城市大学执照被收 留学生须转学

赴英留学的同学们注意了。伦敦城市大学或被吊销招收外国留学生的执照，已注册在校的数千名非欧盟国家留学生均需转到其他有执照的大学，否则将被遣送回国。该校由此成为英国第一所被完全吊销“高度可信赞助方”执照的大学，此前曾有两所大学被暂扣执照，后来又被发回。该校副校长对此决定表示很失望，并称会努力确保学生在英国或其他地方找到可以继续学业的学校。伦敦城市大学曾在2009年因为过度招生而被罚款3650万英镑。边境署监督员在检查中发现，该校有国际学生在没有有效签证的情况下在校就读，未就获得学生签证却未到校注册的学生向边境署报告，对留学生的英语语言技能、学术能力和经历未做充分测试。该校有权对边境署的决定提起申诉，并在六个月内重新申请“高度可信赞助方”执照。

London Metropolitan University is to lose its licence to teach foreign students, it has been reported, becoming the first UK university to be stripped of its Highly Trusted Sponsor status by the UK Border Agency.

Malcolm Gillies, the university's vice-chancellor, told The Sunday Times that the decision would have an "immense" impact on London Met and its partners, warning that the students affected would include those already enrolled.

He said this would leave the university with a 15% shortfall in funding and unable to teach thousands of non-EU students – including those who have completed parts of their degrees and diplomas – who would have to be deported.

"Their surprise, shock and concern will be huge, and we shall work with them to ensure they have the widest range of options to continue their studies, either in the UK or elsewhere," he said.

Professor Gillies added that the university was "immensely disappointed" by the news, stating that it had done everything it could to demonstrate its fitness to continue educating overseas students since the UKBA suspended its highly trusted status six weeks ago.

Gillies denied the university was an "immigration threat". London Metropolitan had restored its reputation after a £36.5m fine in 2009 for over-inflating student numbers and was now "as diligent as any [institution] in the country" when it came to reporting enrolment data, checking foreign student attendance and meeting Home Office requirements on English language for higher learning.

The border agency's decision, which has not yet been formally announced but has been leaked to the Sunday Times, follows an audit of London Met earlier this month.

Its inspectors reportedly concluded that students were "continuing to study at [London Met] without valid leave [visas] despite the university having reassured us that this issue had been rectified".

They also found that the university had failed to report students who had secured study visas but had not turned up for courses, as well as shortcomings in the testing of English language skills and academic ability and records.

London Met is the first UK university to have its highly trusted status revoked, although two others - Glasgow Caledonian University and Teesside University - have previously had their licences suspended and then reinstated.

The university is entitled to appeal against the UKBA's decision, and will be able to reapply for Highly Trusted Sponsor status in six months.