“A pervasive culture of sexual harassment” in a medical school
The University of Manchester is to investigate the sexual harassment of female medical students, after one of those targeted wrote to the vice-chancellor describing a pervasive culture in the school, including anonymous phone calls. The open letter has attracted more than 1,000 signatures. Medical students are in a particular position: placements put them under clinicians who write their references, which is exactly why complaints go unmade.
New visa compliance rules take effect today
Revised Basic Compliance Assessment metrics for student sponsors come into force today, tightening the thresholds a university must meet to keep recruiting international students. Universities have been pre-emptively withdrawing from markets to protect their position, which is why applicants from some countries have had offers and acceptances pulled.
The Home Office corrects the rules after a reporting error is exposed
Following reporting that appeals were excluded from the refusal-rate calculation, the Home Office has issued an amendment. It is a rare example of journalism changing an immigration rule within a week, and it matters to students: appeals that succeed will now count properly rather than leaving universities to act on inflated refusal figures.