Leading article: Care needed

British universities are becoming increasingly dependent on overseas students who pay high fees of £8,000 a year and more, and expect a degree of tender loving care as a result.

British universities are becoming increasingly dependent on overseas students who pay high fees of £8,000 a year and more, and expect a degree of tender loving care as a result. The problem is, as the article on page 6 shows, they often feel they don't get it. Some universities have put the money and effort into looking after visitors from overseas, but not all. If higher education institutions want to continue attracting the lucrative trade from abroad, they need to take a lesson out of Nottingham University's book. It has a team of international student support officers, and has just appointed an officer to look after Chinese students.