The UK Government has been accused of “economic vandalism” after Scotland was snubbed for a new scheme that could attract talented students to the north-east.
Top Aberdeen academics Professors Ian Diamond and Ferdinand von Prondzynski said the decision to only trial a new post-study work visa in England was a “missed opportunity” for the region, which is experiencing an acute skills shortage.
A new version of the visa, which was controversially scrapped in 2012, is only being trialled at four universities – Imperial College London, Oxford, Cambridge and Bath.
The Brain family entered Scotland under the original scheme – and were controversially left in limbo after it was scrapped.
Now, the principals of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon universities have called on the UK Government to extend the trial to the north-east.
Difficulties in recruiting skilled workers – such as GPs and teachers – in Aberdeen have been well-documented.
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin branded the decision “economic vandalism hurting a vitally important sector”.
In a joint letter to the Press and Journal, Sir Ian and Mr von Prondzynski argued the reintroduction of a post-study work visa would help tackle the skills shortage in the region.
The academics wrote: “It is welcome that the UK Government is now piloting a new post-study work visa, but it is disappointing that this will apply only to a small number of English universities.
“Considering the political consensus in Scotland in favour of the reintroduction of such a visa, the exclusion of Scottish universities from this pilot scheme is a missed opportunity.
“As a city facing acute economic challenges, Aberdeen seems a prime candidate to benefit from such a scheme rather than concentrating the trial in the south of England.”
SNP MSP Ms Martin said the letter was a “significant intervention” that showed how “damaging the Tory approach to education has been”.
She added: “We know that (Prime Minister) Theresa May plans to double-down on these mistakes by further restricting international students.
“The Tories obviously see international students as an easy target to reduce immigration, but all the evidence shows that their approach is an act of economic vandalism hurting a vitally important sector.”
