I listened to this garbage so you don't have to. It is a horrifically one-sided, un-nuanced hit piece on international students that will do damage to universities & pile on racist abuse of vulnerable students. Shame on Jo Grady & @ucu.org.uk for contributing to this & adding to negative tropes 1/8 - ThreadSky

celinetan.bsky.social • 201 days ago

I listened to this garbage so you don't have to. It is a horrifically one-sided, un-nuanced hit piece on international students that will do damage to universities & pile on racist abuse of vulnerable students. Shame on Jo Grady & @ucu.org.uk for contributing to this & adding to negative tropes 1/8

Reposted from CJ McKinney

“Jo Grady from the UCU, which represents 120,000 lecturers and university staff, says it is an open secret that students who lack English skills find ways to come to the UK to study” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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celinetan.bsky.social•201 days ago

There are genuine concerns about the reliance of universities in international student fees, failure of government investment in HE, exploitation of international students & pedagogical challenges of responding to a diverse cohort but these complexities were not dealt with. 2/8

celinetan.bsky.social•201 days ago

Instead all we get are stereotypes, generalisations & demonisation of all international students, inc that int students lack language skills & academic ability, they pay for & essay mills & generative AI to cheat their way through degrees, they deny 'Home' students spaces in universities ... 3/8

celinetan.bsky.social•201 days ago

... they don't integrate, only speak their 'own languages', & cheapen UK higher education. None of these are supported by evidence & there is no discussion of how universities should better train their staff to support this diverse cohort instead of treatung them as cash cows 4/8

celinetan.bsky.social•201 days ago

This choice quote from the 'documentary' reproduces all the standard tropes: 'Recruiters used to be retired professors in coduroy jacket visiting quite backwaters of the world to find hidden gems, promising students who might flourish in a land of academic possibility ...' 5/8

celinetan.bsky.social•201 days ago

... Now most universities use multi-million pound recruitments agencies with shareholders & shiny offices & armies of field workers looking for wealthy families’ (20-21 mins). This could have come from a Reform campaign leaflet. 6/8

celinetan.bsky.social•201 days ago

I was an international student myself & have taught cohorts of them. It’s an offensive & racist documentary & I am incensed that the GS of @ucu.org.uk has decided to reinforce these tropes & added to the pile-on of a vulnerable community already subject thelegal & political hostile environment 7/8

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