You didn't explain or demonstrate anything you just laughed and said my argument was "twaddle", at no point did you explain why you think it's better to have people do film studies degrees then work at McDonalds compared to learning a trade.
Huge reductions in foreign student numbers
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You didn't explain or demonstrate anything you just laughed and said my argument was "twaddle", at no point did you explain why you think it's better to have people do film studies degrees then work at McDonalds compared to learning a trade.
That all makes perfect sense if you completely ignore everything else posted that does demonstrate said twaddleness of your stance.
Still, doesn't matter when you can just ignore them and the rest of my post that asks for you to point out where you've done exactly that which you're asking, eh?
Can I get this in plain English please?
What percentage of university students get a degree in film studies? How many of those end up working in McDonald's?
Is your example a signifcant problem or are most students studying for a degree that they find useful later in life?
The base problem, is that the country is currently facing a MASSIVE skills shortage. Because Blair/etc encouraged an entire generation to focus on academic qualifications over professional tradeskills we are now seeing a colossal shortage of tradesmen (as the older ones retire and there is nowhere near enough new ones being trained up). Most of the people that would have become plumbers/carpenters/gas engineers/etc are doing unskilled jobs while they find something to do with their media studies/etc degree (or lack thereof if they dropped out).
This is bad for multiple reasons, firstly it puts prices up (supply and demand), secondly it makes the country more dependant on foreign workers than it used to be, and thirdly it means that there aren't enough people to do the jobs/work that's available or (even worse) to fully maintain the existing equipment/installations in a safe/working manner.
Will less prospective students not greatly reduce the entry requirements for some universities? This could benefit quite a lot of UK students in that respect.
Haha, reminds me of my good old undergrad days when the uni was putting up notices about the number of forged signatures on the register.
Haha, reminds me of my good old undergrad days when the uni was putting up notices about the number of forged signatures on the register.
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It already is, but here it is reduced further:
Practice what you preach. Where is your backing for what you have posted?
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Universities do indeed receive money for domestic students. However, foreign student income does indeed subsidise many teaching activities so I'm going to have to disagree with you on that point.
I agree that the current system is flawed and that education is underfunded but that doesn't make your original statement true:
I've no idea why you're even talking about the foreign aid budget. I could pick any random budget that is used for other things and make a similar claim I guess? Utterly besides the point.
As things stand in the current system, foreign students provide a valuable revenue stream for Universities and they also are a net benefit on the economy. Hence, why putting artificial barriers in place is a bit of a dumb idea. Additionally, it is categorically false that they push up tuition costs and/or deny places to domestic students.
Not really. The student quotas are set at above individual University level. If funding were increased then yes, potentially.
Blair's aim was for 50% if young people to go to university and it was never actually reached. That still leaves a minimum of 50% of young people to go into the trades.
Surely the problem is that companies aren't willing to train up young people and that people would prefer to do other jobs?
Fixed it for you.
On topic.
We all know that student visas are a backdoor to unfettered immigration in this country.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38225712
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As little as Scottish students, which likely would have to significantly increase if they reduce numbers of other international students 
As little as Scottish students, which likely would have to significantly increase if they reduce numbers of other international students
Or they could get those nice fee paying english and welsh students in to subsidise the forgien students!
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But if they took more outside eu international students, they could subsidise more Scottish and EU students or maybe pay to expand the facilities so everyone can go study up where its cold, wet and windy.
I dont know, but i expect that universities must accept a minimum number of applicants from EU students as some sort of inter EU student deal and their tuition isnt really about making money.