“ DESPITE A WELL-DOCUMENTED SKILLS GAP IN THE UK’S AI SECTOR, THE GOVERNMENT’S ACTIONS HAVE FORCED UNIVERSITIES TO PIVOT TOWARD ESTABLISHING GLOBAL CAMPUSES IN A BID TO PRESERVE FINANCIAL STABILITY, AS WELL AS IN THE AI SPACE.”
EMMA PRODROMOU, GLOBAL BUSINESS EXPANSION & IMMIGRATION MANAGE, MAUVE GROUP
system is due later this year and Rajiv Naik, a partner at immigration lawyers Fragomen, said it was imperative that reforms aligned with business needs if the UK was to remain competitive on the global stage. He said that that while the UK immigration system
remained comparatively straightforward compared to other nations, it was also among the world’s most expensive, with visa costs up to 17 times higher than in many of its competitor nations. “These high costs, combined with limited short-term
work travel options, create significant challenges for businesses competing for talent,” Mr Naik commented.
ACCESS TO INTERNATIONAL TALENT & HIGHER EDUCATION Emma Prodromou, global business expansion and immigration manager at Mauve Group – a global HR, business consultancy and employment solutions provider – said the UK’s AI Action Plan “signals a vital need to leverage international talent in order to secure the UK’s position as a leader in artificial intelligence”. However, she added: “This ambition clashes
with recent moves by the government to restrict international student numbers via student visa clampdowns, which have resulted in universities being compelled to cut courses and slash budgets. “Despite a well-documented skills gap in the UK’s AI
sector, the Government’s actions have forced universities to pivot toward establishing global campuses in a bid to preserve financial stability, and maintain and promote international collaboration in general, as well as in the AI space.” Ms Prodromou cited recent cases including
Coventry University, which last year established in Delhi, and the University of Lancaster, which has gone into partnership with Deakin University in Indonesia. Currently, she said, UK universities operate 38 campuses across 18 countries, educating some 67,750 students abroad. “Yet, while these campuses extend the UK’s
global academic influence, the current visa system prevents many international graduates trained to UK standards from contributing their skills to the UK economy as they struggle to secure postgraduate visas for themselves and their family,” she said. Ms Prodromou pointed out that the government
claims AI graduates from institutions not included in the High Potential Individual (HPI) eligibility list can pursue alternative routes, such as Skilled Worker or Global Talent visas. “But these options are expensive and often hinge
on employer sponsorship or fail to adequately address the complexities of integrating global AI talent into the UK workforce. Additionally, with most HPI visas
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