Lords Science Select Committee opens inquiry on International STEM Students

Imperial College Union has helped secure an inquiry by the House of Lords for the Science and Technology Committee.

The Union has been campaigning against the Immigration Bill since last November after a paper was passed at Council opposing the proposed changes that will negatively impact our international students. Furthermore, the Union has been working alongside the NUS and their campaign for International students.

Imperial Union has been lobbying Lords linked to Imperial. Our sabbatical officers spoke to Robert Winston regarding the concerns the Union had about the impact the proposed Immigration Bill will have on International students if passed. On Tuesday, Robert Winston raised these issues with The House of Lord’s Science and Technology Select committee; this resulted in an inquiry that has now been launched.

Marissa Lewis, Deputy President (Welfare) commented: “This has been a fantastic outcome of a lot of work which all started with a student working group putting a paper through our Union Council – I hope everyone who has been involved in this campaign feels heartened by this news”

The inquiry will look at the effect new immigration rules could potentially have on international students, as well as examining the development in the collection and analysis of data relating to student migration. Our Union will be putting forward a response that will be evidence for this inquiry.

Daniel Stevens, the NUS International Officer commented: “Thanks to lobbying by Imperial Union, the inquiry will provide an important avenue to show how detrimental the Immigration Bill is for international students. It is an excellent development in the continued fight against the Immigration Bill.”