Student migration rules 'ludicrous', says Cambridge head

The head of Cambridge University Sir Leszek Borysiewicz says the attitude towards overseas students is damaging competitiveness. He says it is "ludicrous" to include overseas students in UK migration targets, writes Sean Coughlan for BBC News.

Speaking in London at the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, Sir Leszek said there needed to be less "negativity" in the debate about both immigration and recruiting overseas students. Postgraduate students were the "engine room" of university research – and he said about 60% of postdoctoral researchers at Cambridge were from overseas.

Sir Leszek warned that Cambridge had to compete in a highly mobile, global market for the best staff and students. Difficulties with recruiting overseas staff and students had become "one the biggest threats facing UK universities".
Full report on the BBC site