Foreign student expansion fears

Colleges may lack the support resources to cope with plans to double overseas student recruitment in FE, the Association of Colleges has warned, writes Phil Baty.

The AOC has broadly welcomed "ambitious" plans to double student numbers in FE to 50,000 by 2005. But it is seeking ministers' "immediate attention" on a number of outstanding issues.

The AOC has set up a joint "network committee" with the UK Council for Overseas Student Affairs to take the plans forward. The committee is particularly concerned about "institutions not currently involved with international student recruitment".

It wants ministers to set aside resources for "institutional capacity building" and the spread of best practice.