Universities adopts IT system to help track foreign students studying in UK

August 11 2009 by Mark Johnstone

Study in UK at Oxford Brookes Univesity

Oxford Brookes University has adopted ImageNow from Perceptive Software to help it to collect and record information on its international student population.

Since the UK visa points-based system was introduced in March, universities sponsoring student visa holders have had to record extra information on international students, such as their passports and other documents.

The university has adopted the software in its admissions office to help capture and organise this data and to develop ways to scan and record the extra information during the enrolment period before the autumn term. The software will scan, capture and categorise biometric cards, passports and UK student visa extension letters throughout the enrolment season to keep the process running smoothly.

Around 5% of the university’s 18,000-strong student population are from other EU countries and 11% have come from outside the EU to study and work in the UK.

By sponsoring overseas students, UK universities must adhere to certain obligations. These include ensuring that the students do not breach the terms of their visas. Other controversial new regulations require education institutions to report any suspicious activity among its international student population.

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