MPs back restriction

24th July 2009, 1:00am

MPs investigating the use of fraudulent student visas have backed the campaign to restrict the name “college” to bona fide institutions. The home affairs select committee said only properly accredited organisations should be called colleges and the Government should instigate an inspection regime to enforce this. They join 111 MPs who have signed a Commons motion calling for the change which was proposed by the Association of Colleges. More than 500 institutions have been rejected under the new, stricter rules for student visas, and publicly-funded colleges say that bogus colleges do huge damage to the reputation of genuine institutions.