The proposals, aimed at non-EU students applying under the tier four of the points system, would affect almost two-thirds of the 273,000 visas issued to students in 2009. They come as part of a wider scheme by the UK government to reduce net migration by 2015.

In an open letter to The Observer last Saturday, sixteen university vice-chancellors voiced their concerns over the plans and the effects this could have on university funding. This comes at a time when funding for UK universities is a matter of enormous confusion and controversy.

In the letter, the vice-chancellors said: “International students coming to universities contribute over £5bn each year to the UK economy through tuition fees and off-campus expenditure. Reductions in student numbers will lead to reductions in income and jobs.”

They go on to outline how without this income from international students, many courses, particularly science or engineering courses, could be at risk of closure. This would in turn have a wider impact on UK students by reducing availability. International students are also beneficial to the UK in many other ways. They bring different cultures and ideas to UK institutions and allow all students to create networks and make international friends. They also act as cultural and economic promoters for the UK when they return to their home countries with new skills. These benefits could be of enormous importance to the UK at this time of economic austerity.

The vice-chancellors include Prof Steve Smith, president of Universities UK and vice chancellor of the University of Exeter, who recently announced they would be charging the maximum tuition fee allowed, as well as the vice-chancellors of the universities of Bath, Sussex and Birmingham.

The Home Office has responded by saying: “Any criticism can only be based on speculation as no decisions have yet been made on the changes to the student visa route.”

The thinking behind the government’s proposal is that immigration into the UK needs to be reduced and they have targeted the education sector as an identifiable source of immigrants. Around two thirds of the 273,000 visas issued each year go to non-EU, Tier 4 students on the points-based system and these are the students that will be affected by the cuts. As well as visa cuts, the government also plans to raise English language requirements for those students coming to the UK.

Perhaps understandably, changes that will affect so many students have caused widespread consternation and even anger among higher education professionals. Vice Chancellor of East Anglia University, Edward Action believes these actions to be so “grave” that they will actually replace the home tuition issues, a source of incredibly heated debate in the UK, as the number one concern for the future of UK universities.

The reasons these cuts could have such a devastating impact on universities is that many international students are recruited from non-degree level courses. International students constitute 9% of the sector’s income, so a significant shortfall in this number could have wide ranging effects upon higher education across the board.

Then of course, there is the obvious effects this will have on the foundation and non-degree level courses themselves. Tony Milns, Chief Executive of English UK, an association of English language teaching said the new measures could impact as many as 70-80% of the students who currently study courses at this level. He also points out that these students often constitute as much as 70% of the intake of some institutions which would essentially threaten their survival should the changes go ahead. This would include the London School of Economics, which has an intake of nearly 70% international students.

Immigration Minister Damian Green is justifying the cuts by highlighting the abuses of the visa by some students who use the system as a way to enter the country and stay on illegally after it has expired. But is this really the responsibility of all the other legitimate students who wish to come to the UK to study? It does seem to be a case of treating the symptoms rather than looking for a cure.

Aaron Porter, President of the National Union of Students in the UK says: “It wouldn’t just be international students that would lose out from the opportunity of studying in this country, it would lead to a worsening of the experience for all students, both home and international.”

The government is currently reviewing the plans, with consultation ending on 31 January.

The coalition was acting on behalf of twenty-eight US colleges and universities who want the President to reconsider these regulations restricting academic travel to the island. This renewed call comes in the wake of the recent release of political prisoners on the island.

In an extract from the letter the coalition states “ the regulations implemented in 2004 all but put a stop to educational exchanges between the US and Cuba”. They acknowledge that recent work by the administration has made it easier for Cubans to travel to the US on educational and cultural programmes and now hope that similar deregulation will increase opportunities for American students to go the other way.

Recent data indicates that only about 250 US students studied in Cuba in 2007-2008, compared with over 2,000 that were able to study there four years earlier. You can find a copy of the letter and a list of signatories as well as learning more about the continuing advocacy campaign Cuba is No Exception: Academic Travel Should be a Freedom for Everyone at NAFSA’s online home for their grassroots community, Connecting Our World.

Have you lived or studied in Cuba? Have you considered studying in Cuba but been unable to because of regulations? Let us know your thoughts.

Blunders by the UK Border Agency, which could cost thousands of Pakistani students their places at UK universities, have outraged Pakistani officials with students complaining of excessive delays in their applications and unfair refusals.

Critics of the UK Border Agency have been quick to point out that the visa problems began soon after the Agency moved their Pakistan operations to Abu Dhabi.

Despite the UK Border Agency employing an extra 100 staff members; a total of 140,000 students have so far experienced problems with their visa applications whilst many have missed their start date of courses.

Reports in the Dawn newspaper yesterday revealed that an estimated 20,000 student passports were piled in the UK Border Agency offices whilst applications pended. UK authorities state that student passports must be retained by the UK Border Agency for the duration of the visa processing time.

One angry student commented, “It’s ridiculous not knowing where your most important document is.”