U.K. will always welcome international students, says British Deputy High Commissioner to A.P. and TG Gareth Wynn Owen

Indian students flock to UK universities for higher studies, with a record number choosing UK as their academic destination.

There’s an enormous jump in the number of Indian students heading to the Universities in the United Kingdom (U.K.) to pursue their higher studies, says U.K. Deputy High Commissioner to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Gareth Wynn Owen.

In an interaction with The Hindu, Mr. Owen said: “We are pleased to see a record number of Indian students choosing U.K. as the destination to pursue their academics. Indian students form the largest international community in the U.K..”.

He added that for many years, students of China dominated the scene, but Indian students have overtaken them now.

Speaking about the collaboration between the U.K. and Indian universities, he said there is an opportunity for U.K. institutions to share their best practices and knowledge to help the Indian universities modernise, strengthen and develop the skills of the graduates to make them a good fit in the job market.

He said the re-introduction of the post-study work visa, which allows a graduate to stay in the U.K. for two years after successfully completing a course contributed to a big shift in the numbers.

When asked about stricter visa regulations implemented earlier this year, which affect the students’ ability to sponsor family dependents, spouses, or children, he said “That has not changed the government’s approach to welcoming international students, especially from countries like India.”

Mr. Owen denies that there is any decision to restrict the number of visa approvals. “International student market is becoming more competitive but we still see strong numbers choosing UK as their destination, particularly from the UK,” he said, adding :”We also recognise that the opportunity to work in the UK after graduation is important for students. This is why our government has said that for now, the post-study work visa will remain in place because we know how important it is for students.”