I think we need to be careful to remain welcoming to international students who bring £55m into Sunderland's economy

Sir David contacted the Sunderland Echo to help relay his message after on Monday (May 12) the Government published its plans to tackle immigration, including greater restrictions on international students being able to come and study in the UK.

Sir David said the white paper is proposing “quite a stiffening” of the rules universities have to adhere to when recruiting students, with the duration of graduate visas - the time students who have studied in the UK are able to continue to work in the country - being reduced from two years to 18 months.

The benchmark for universities to maintain their eligibility to enrol international students will also be raised with an expectation that 90% international students who enrol on a course will complete their period of study - up from the current target of 85%.

Failure to hit this target could result in a university having its international student eligibility revoked.

The proposed restrictions follow on from a massive reduction of EU students enrolling at UK universities following Brexit and from last year’s (2024) ruling restricting the eligibility of international students to bring dependents with them to the UK.

Sir David said: “As a port city, Sunderland has a history of welcoming people from foreign lands and even in its time as a polytechnic, Sunderland had a high number of international students.

“I think the public concern over immigration is a legitimate one and my view is that there does need to be control of our borders to ensure migration is sustainable. But I think most people understand the difference between someone coming the UK to study and an illegal immigrant crossing the Channel in a boat.

“There is great competition for international students and I think this is going to increase with countries such as Canada and Australia being increasingly seen as popular destinations to go and study.

“I think the UK is still generally seen internationally as an attractive place to come and study, but the Government needs to be careful and we all need to be careful ensure that our country and our cities remain an attractive and welcoming place for international students.”

Like the majority of UK universities, Sunderland has a significant proportion of international students, who pay higher fees than their UK counterparts and in turn provide a proportionally even greater portion of the university’s income.

The new White Paper plans to impose a 6% levy on the fees paid by international students which will either have to absorbed by universities or passed on to the students, which could result in inflated fees that could deter would-be UK destined students.

Sir David said: “We have 13,000 students here in Sunderland, 4,000 of which are international students, which is just over 30%. We also have a further 6,000 students studying University of Sunderland qualifications in 20 countries across the world.

“Like all universities, we are significantly dependent on the income from international students. This money is reinvested in improving the courses and facilities at the university which also benefit our UK students.”

Sir David has also asked the Government to consider the “massive” positive financial impact that overseas student can have on local economies and in particular here in Sunderland.

He said: “The most recent research showed that international students here in Sunderland contribute around £55m each year into the city’s economy - that’s additional money to what would have been spent by UK students.

“We speak to lots of local businesses who have said that international students really help fuel the local economy.”

The vice-chancellor also stressed the positive impact universities having a high proportion of international students can have, both in the UK and abroad.

Sir David said: “We should not underestimate the importance of our international students returning home with a positive impression of their time in the UK. They are the politicians and business leaders of tomorrow and in this post-Brexit era it’s important the UK has a positive global image.

“Whilst the NHS’s Workforce Plan aims to grow our own nurses and doctors, we are not yet at that point and are reliant on international nurses and doctors who are studying and working here in the UK.

“Whist this White Paper on immigration is still a proposal, we need to be careful not to lose sight of the value that international students bring.

“We need to continue to be a country and city that welcomes international students because of the great contribution that they make.”