Dr Alex Bulat Profile picture
May 16, 2018 9 tweets 3 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
Ok so I completed the @ukhomeoffice survey about international students.

I do not know who advised you on the question wording, but here are some thoughts from a Romanian PhD "international student" trained in social research methods in three UK universities.
Operationalisation is key to any social research.

Students from the EU and from non-EU countries will experience their time at university differently.

Huge difference in fees&more pressures from the #hostileenvironment on non-EU as they constantly have to prove their activity.
What is the point of this? Universities have data on the number of international students.
All the questions on "impact" are subjective and they may force the respondent to think of an impact when they have not even problematised this before.

No "do not know" option etc.

"Studying" and "academic university experience" as a broad phrase are two separate aspects.
Similar here.

Does "social experience" mean the same for all respondents? Doubt so.

Text box statement assumes international students specifically have impacted said experience.
I could not resist to comment on this.
Sampling!

The survey is opened to everyone i.e. everyone can access the link, so the results will not be valid.

I can post this on my local anti-migration group (I don't have one, but let's assume) and ask everyone to say negative stuff about international students.
Finally, what is the research question this survey tries to answer?

I fail to see the point.

Limiting international student numbers if the survey results say that they had a "negative impact", with an inappropriate sample and simplistic and often meaningless questions?
The HO have seen our feedback and now they display this message.

Do not worry! Just turn on incognito mode and can take the survey as many times as you want, without being a student.

The solution is called student login via institutions. You need some better people in your team

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More from @alexandrabulat

Aug 23, 2018
I heard many people claim we should end "low skilled EU migration" and "of course the brighest and the best should be able to come".

I want to share with you some life stories of the Romanians I interviewed, in the hope they challenge the low-high skilled migrant tickbox ⬇️
Maria came to the UK with a degree in Mathematics from Romania. Her first job was tidying hotel rooms. Then she qualified as a social worker and perfected her English. In less than 5 years, she was a care home manager in a big town.

She shouldn't have been allowed in the UK?
Valentin came to the UK after living in Italy for many years. He started from the bottom again, as a truck driver. Then he was employed in an auto park. In less than 3 years, he was a salesman for luxury cars.

He shouldn't have been allowed in the UK?
Read 11 tweets
Apr 20, 2018
Please help me fight anti-Romanian discourses!

Recently, there have been opportunistic interventions promoting anti-Romanian feelings, in the form of "Romanian [negative attribute] vs. [positive attribute] Commonwealth"

Please do contact me if you see anti-Romanian comments.
I will write to my MP @DanielZeichner and speak to Romanian institutions in the UK. @PaulBrummell may also be interested to look at this? @The3Million collected some of those anti-Romanian media interventions here:
These people are deliberately singling out Romanians to strengthen "us" vs. "them" attitudes. Weaker solidarity between migrant groups fits their political aims, nothing else.

They play into stereotypes about Romanians promoted for years by the Daily Mail et al.
Read 7 tweets
Apr 17, 2018
Dear Sir, I'm Romanian, here since 2012, I am now halfway through my PhD, and I had nothing to do with WW2 as I was born in 1994. Many of my friends are studying or working in Romania.

I stand against injustice for both Caribbean and EU peoples. Divide and rule does not work.
Wow. Did not expect my response to be so popular.

Now, the detail:

George needs to understand the different systems (for FoM and non-EU) and how and why they work as such.

George needs to understand that there were unfair and illegal deportations of both EU and non-EU peoples.
Thank you for all your comments. I try to respond to most of them.

I re-state my invitation to Mr Galloway to explain how singling out Romanians to make an easy political point helps the causes of the British left, which include community cohesion and understanding.
Read 4 tweets
Mar 6, 2018
I am a Romanian PhD student, teaching assistant & researcher. One of @theresa_may's praised "brightest and the best" whose "contributions are welcome".

This #TuesdayThoughts I want to share my story. Until I got to this point, I was in many ways an "undesirable migrant" ⬇️
My first experience in the UK was in 1997. My father got a temporary #NHS contract as there was a skill shortage. I attended the hospital's nursery for 7 months but my family chose to return to Romania. My mum was unemployed and my father had limited rights to work.
Meanwhile my parents got divorced. I attended a free school and skipped many classes in the last college years. Grew up mainly with "working class kids" sometimes doing dangerous things. But I achieved the highest grade in the Romanian Baccalaurate and this opened many doors.
Read 19 tweets
Feb 26, 2018
This evening I had the great pleasure to attend an event on @The3Million's #citizensrights at the Romanian Cultural Insitute #London, with speeches from @SuellaFernandes, @PaulBrummell & Romanian ambassador + Q&A with @DExEUgov, @ukhomeoffice, DWP, Education.
My thoughts ⬇️
Overall - and expected- a very positive tone from all parts, underlining the contribution Romanians make to the UK (this is really needed to balance the Mail & the Sun's coverage), and emphasizing the UK's commitment to #citizensrights.
However, the devil is in the detail.
To start with, Suella Fernandes references the #Florence speech and how EU citizens will continue to 'live their lives as before'.

- - 'Living their lives as before' is only logically possible if guaranteeing ALL existing rights.
Read 14 tweets
Jan 12, 2018
#bbcqt just before Q2 I commented on @dominicraab's statement on @the3million and @BritishInEurope
@BBC edited it out
Are non-UK ppl not allowed to challenge the deal after all?
At least @DawnButlerBrent , @thatginamiller etc heard it
I just want ppl to be informed⬇️
@DominicRaab @The3Million @BritishInEurope @BBC @DawnButlerBrent @thatginamiller What I said today on #bbcqt and did not make it on TV:
#citizensrights deal for @The3Million and @BritishInEurope is not 'a done deal' because
1. 'Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed' - Theresa May
[2]
2. It does not comply with Vote Leave's promise of 'automatically granted indefinite leave to remain' (1 June 2016 Vote Leave statement)

[3]
Read 20 tweets

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