Levy on international students’ tuition fees not in best interest of UK, says leader of top university

Duncan Ivison says the UK has a golden opportunity to become the global destination for international students, with clampdowns in the US and limits in Canada. Photograph: University of Manchester

A levy on tuition fees paid by international students is “wrong”, will “hurt the sector” and is “not in the long-term interests” of the UK, according to the vice-chancellor of one of the country’s leading universities.

Duncan Ivison, who took over as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester (UoM) last year, was speaking ahead of the budget later this month when the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is expected to flesh out her plans for the proposed 6% surcharge.