Blog 10 - Black Country College Loses UK Border Agency Licence

 

                Bilston Community College has been stripped of its “Tier 4 Visa” license by the UK Border Agency for “not fulfilling duties” in qualifying for what the Agency calls a “Highly Trusted Status.” This required “status” is needed for international students to be allowed admittance and attendance rights to colleges in the UK.  An appeal has been submitted to regain the school’s visa license and will be reviewed on December 20^th of 2012.  In the mean time, the 200 students have been informed of this predicament and must be active participants in gaining the schools “highly-trusted” status back.  The college-goers are responsible for regular and consistent classroom attendance, while the teaching staff must be sure to disperse quality education during the scheduled lecture times.  These are only two of the many factors that a college must perform to attain such a status with the UK Border Agency.  The schools website attracts prospective students through its expression of having a “healthy mix of international visa ones and local-based students” and states that more than 60% of the student population deem “home” as somewhere overseas.  Phil Page, a director of Bilston Community College, is now making the protection of students his “primary concern,” and with following the Border Agency’s requirements for obtaining a new Tier 4  Visa, I am sure Bilston’s international students will see their graduation day, as intended.  It is very important that this particular community college update its status because as a college, students should achieve the best educational experience possible. The UK Border Agency’s standards for being deemed a “highly-trusted” educational facility are along the lines of what any college should offer.  With higher education being as costly and crucial as it is, students should be subject to the most professionally developed environment possible. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-20178483