As we close out 2024, it’s a useful time to reflect on the opportunities and challenges our members and international students have faced. I also want to thank my team and all of our members for their tireless efforts to support international students in the UK, in a year full of change and complexity.
The year began with the implementation of a new dependant policy and its impact has been felt throughout 2024, with the new government confirming its intention to retain the policy. We’ve also seen the introduction of new maintenance requirements, and the phased implementation of e-visas which has caused extensive confusion for student advisers and international students. Our team has worked daily to update our advice and guidance on e-visas, as we navigate the wealth of information and identify the uncertainties. A huge thank you to all of our members and practitioners who have shared challenges and concerns across all our engagement channels – this has been relayed quickly to our contacts in government to highlight issues and inform further guidance.
On a more positive note, the incoming Labour government committed to retain the Graduate Route for the foreseeable future, after an effective co-ordinated submission by UKCISA and our sector partners to inform the Migration Advisory Committee review at the start of the year. This policy consistency, as well as some very positive messaging from the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Skills, is helping to shape a much more positive narrative on international students, as we called for in our April policy position paper.
Our inspirational #WeAreInternational Student Ambassadors have shared their experience to help us advocate for all international students, and we’re excited to work with eight new ambassadors in 2025. As the programme goes from strength to strength, and its profile grows, the number of applications increases – a huge thanks to all our members and partners who shared the news, encouraged students to apply, participated in the judging process and helped us select such an impressive new cohort. I also want to thank our outgoing ambassadors who have done such a brilliant job of advocating at the highest level for themselves and their peers - and who remain forever part of our ambassador alumni community.
This year has been challenging in terms of government funding, and this is the first time in over 40 years that UKCISA has not received a government grant from any part of the UK, with Scottish Government recently confirming that it is not able to provide central funding in 2024/25. Nonetheless, UKCISA continues to be a trusted partner for governments across the UK, representing our member views and perspectives in policy conversations throughout the year and providing a trusted route for consultation with the sector. Our members’ insights contribute to this trusted partnership and ensure that our feedback is meaningful and informed.
We have also seen significant financial pressures across our members, as a result of the changing student recruitment patterns and the continued constraints on the domestic funding model. These pressures have a direct impact on staff across our member organisations, with tight resources despite the ongoing requirements for student advice and compliance. Thank you all for your commitment to support international students in the face of these difficulties.
Despite the challenging financial context for UKCISA and our members, we have been buoyed by the positive government messaging. As the policy context has not changed to keep pace with that high-level message, it’s critical that UKCISA and our sector partners use this opportunity to shape the forthcoming International Education Strategy to help ensure that it includes an ambition to support the experience of international students in the UK. We’ll be submitting our recommendations for the Strategy, and hope that the new strategy will further demonstrate this government’s commitment to welcoming international students – even if they’re not ready to loosen up policy yet.
We know that 2025 will present new and familiar political and financial challenges, and that members and students will need our support to navigate them. We will continue to advocate tirelessly for our member institutions and their students, using the insight and intelligence that our members share with us through our advice line, our forum and our committed practitioner networks across the UK. We will do this via our bilateral relationships with colleagues in the Home Office across policy and operations, the Department for Education and education teams in the devolved administrations, as well as other relevant government departments and collaboration with sector stakeholder groups. We will be guided by our passionate Board of Trustees and its committees, and were delighted to welcome on board two new trustees this year, Chris Chang and Jonny Exon. We are fortunate to have such a committed and experienced group to steer the organisation.
Our support, as always, includes the delivery of essential training for staff at all levels, and we will review the needs of members as we roll out training throughout the year. We are also planning to include more policy symposiums in 2025 to provide an additional channel for members to engage with UKCISA on the issues that they are facing in their roles, and shape and inform UKCISA’s advocacy to government departments.
Our flagship event, our annual conference in Manchester in June, is an unmissable opportunity to learn from peers and partner organisations alike. The call for proposals is now open for members to submit their ideas and their projects to feature alongside UKCISA’s own training and content. We had a fantastic conference in Kent this year, with overwhelmingly positive feedback. It’s a highlight of the calendar for staff, members, partners and ambassadors so I hope you can be part of it again, or perhaps even attend for the first time.
Our exciting new website will launch in early 2025. I’m grateful to colleagues across UKCISA and our board and committees who have fed into the development of the new CMS. I’m confident that our website will enable you and your students to better navigate our comprehensive and essential advice and guidance.
In the meantime, I hope you all have a healthy and happy festive break, after a busy year. It’s a time to recharge and reflect, and I look forward to coming back with you in 2025 to work together to help ensure that international students can have the best possible experience of the UK
All my best wishes and thank you.
Anne Marie Graham, Chief Executive
