Students criticise ID cards

ID cards for foreign students have been opposed by the University of Nottingham Students’ Union.

All new international students and those renewing visas now have to register for the compulsory ID cards, since Government legislation was introduced last month.

Those applicable will have to travel to one of six centres around the country to be fingerprinted and then have their details placed on the National Identity Register.

The University of Nottingham has the third highest number of international students and the second highest number of non-EU international students in the UK.

The university also has two overseas campuses in China and Malaysia and many students at these campuses spend part of their studies in Nottingham.Nsikan Edung, President of the University of Nottingham Students’ Union, said: “These measures are haphazard, discriminatory and are an affront on civil liberties.

“We are proud of our culturally diverse student population at Nottingham and are wary of the long-term negative effects this will have, including the implications for students from our overseas campuses who might want to spend part of their studies in the UK.”

A University of Nottingham spokesperson said: “The Points-Based System which includes the introduction of identity cards for international students is UK government policy.

“As such we are obliged to adhere to it in order for the university to continue to educate international students.

“The university will be doing all it can to minimise the impact on students and it is likely that the vast majority will not notice any difference under the new system, unless they are absent for a significant period of time or miss key milestones such as exams or the submission of coursework.”

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