The UK grants visas to graduates of the best universities in the world, but no graduates from Africa

Under the system announced on Monday, graduates with bachelor’s or master’s degrees from the top 50 universities abroad can apply for a two-year work visa and take their families with them. Those with a PhD can apply for a three-year visa.

The government then said successful applicants could switch to long-term employment visas.

Eligible universities must be ranked in the top 50 of at least two of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, World University Academic Rankings, and Quaquarelli Simmons World University Rankings. These rankings must be in the applicant’s graduation year and must be within the last 5 years.

Published online by the British Government, the latest list of eligible universities in 2021 includes more than 20 US universities and universities in Canada, Japan, Germany, China, Singapore, France and Sweden. Universities in Africa are not on the latest qualification list or on the list for the past few years.

The decision to exclude African university graduates has been criticized.

“It is short-sighted to eliminate the entire continent full of youth’s huge creative and intellectual energy, based on the lack of arbitrary, culturally biased, and vulnerable university rankings. .. Some of the brightest hearts in the world to be produced and continuously produced by some unranked African universities. “said Professor Farooq Kperogi of Kenneso State University, Georgia.

“University rankings are a Western obsession. It’s just a recognition of institutional fame and name recognition … it doesn’t necessarily reflect quality,” Kperogi added.

“It’s a shame that African graduates are excluded,” said Dr. Owoyemi Elegbeleye of the University of Lagos, Nigeria. “The UK government needs to consider expanding this policy so that Africans can benefit. They can expand their eligibility list to the top 300,” he told CNN. rice field.

Irina Firatova, an emeritus professor at KwaZulu-Natal University in South Africa, said the ranking system was “distorted in favor of English and technical universities.”

“It’s good for universities to compete, but the problem is that the ranking system is biased towards English and technical universities. Looking at the top universities, they are technically the best,” Philatowa said. Said.

CNN is seeking comment from the UK Home Office.

Africa’s most acclaimed university

Cape Town University and Stellenbosch University (both located in South Africa) are the most highly regarded universities in Africa, according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings data.

However, none of them are listed in the top 50 or 100 rankings of the top global rating agencies.

Cape Town is ranked 183rd in the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, followed by Stellenbosch in 251-300th.

According to the figures released at the end of the Academic Ranking of World Universities, the University of Cape Town was ranked among the top 210-300 universities in the world, and Stellenbosch was ranked between 401-500.

The University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University were ranked 226th and 482th in the Quaquarelli Simmons World University Rankings in 2022, respectively.

Since leaving the European Union, the UK has abolished its priority on EU citizenship and introduced a point-based immigration system that ranks applicants, from qualifications and language skills to the professions offered.

However, the country has faced a tough labor market deteriorating by Brexit and Covid-19 for several years, and companies in the manufacturing, logistics and food sectors are calling on the government to relax entry-level work rules. ..

UK Treasury Minister Rishi Sunak said the plan would enable the UK to grow as an international hub of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

“We want tomorrow’s business to be built here today, which is why I encourage students to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to build their careers here,” Sunak said. Told.

The government said candidates must pass security and criminality checks and be able to speak, read, listen and write intermediate level English.

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