The government has revoked its controversial ban on London Metropolitan University (LMU) because of which it could not recruit non-European foreign students leaving hundreds of candidates, including some 300 from India, stranded.
The university was stripped of its licence to sponsor students from outside the European Union last August amid allegations of widespread abuse of student visas.
On Tuesday, the Home Office said that the university had since improved its monitoring system and it was being put on a 12-month probation during which it could sponsor a limited number of foreign students. It said it had worked closely with the university to help it attain the required standards and was able to reinstate the licence.
“It is in the interest of international students that all institutions take their immigration responsibilities seriously and demonstrate that they comply with the rules. This is exactly why the sponsorship system was set up. We have worked closely with university staff to ensure that London Met standards were improved. As a result the university now meets the required standards and we are able to grant a licence. We will continue to welcome the brightest and best students to our world-class universities," Immigration Mark Harper.
Welcoming the decision, the university vice-chancellor Malcolm Gillies described it as “excellent news’’.
“Students can have total confidence that our processes are stronger than ever. I take this opportunity to thank all staff and students and, in particular, international students for their patience and support over the last nine months,” he said.
