Legal News

The London Metropolitan University has said that it was going to challenge the UK Border Agency’s (UKBA) decision to revoke its license of sponsoring overseas students.
UKBA had stripped the University of its Sponsorship Rights after it found that more than a quarter of a sample of the university’s students did not have permission to stay in the country.
The decision had left more than 2,600 students in limbo and has until December 1 to find an alternative course or pack their bags to leave the UK.
The university was accused of very serious deficiency which could have allowed its students to become illegal immigrants. The university has finally decided to defend its reputation.
In a statement, the university said that London Metropolitan University had instructed its lawyers to commence urgent legal action to challenge the revocation of its highly trusted status for sponsoring international students, so that its students can return to study as a matter of urgency.
The University had the opportunity to read the report of its revocation only eight days after UKBA’s decision which had leaked before it was formally announced.
Working with its advisers, the university has conducted a thorough review of UKBA's "evidence", and would be challenging it robustly.
The move to revoke London Met of its licence could cost the institution up to £30million a year, it said.
The university indicated that it would announce more details of the legal action later into the week.
But it said that there was 'no evidence of systemic failings' at the university, and accused the UKBA officers of ignoring information that was made available to them when they conducted their audit.
The statement added 'UKBA's requirements had changed substantially at least 14 times in the last three years.
The university said it had followed the practices adopted by the majority of other universities in complying with the multitude of changes by the agency. It was not in anyone’s interest for there be a system which constantly changes forcing universities their management and their staff automatically to treat students with suspicion until proven otherwise.
'London Met was concerned that the current immigration policy was creating confusion across universities in the country and irrevocable damage to the UK's globally-recognised education sector. The vice-chancellor Professor Malcolm Gillies, said London Met would will fight this revocation, which is based on a highly flawed report by the UKBA.