Saudi delivers undiplomatic verdict on UK universities

As an academic with experience in the UK and Saudia Arabia university systems, I welcome Dr Abaalkhail's accurate signalling of an issue that is real and a growing challenge, particularly for ill-equipped academic staff at the 'coal face'. It is never an easy task to 'raise a red flag' but I believe, given the extent of investment in international 'business' from abroad that there is a duty of care for the issue to be raised and some attempt made to ameliorate these poor experiences for future students. UK university developments to accommodate international students, fall short of the large investments from overseas. English language ability was identified as a concern. This is also an issue for more mature postgraduate international students and sadly for native English speakers aswell. I dont believe there is any evidence in John Morgan's account of the Cultural Attache's presentation to label it as 'undiplomatic'- this seems to be used as a 'convenient coincidence' and 'sidelines' the main issues.

I used to teach undergraduate Old English at the University of Manchester in the late 90s. Manchester had the pick of the good students. My presumption was that my students had come up to University to read English Literature because it was a subject which interested them or in which they excelled. Many could name fewer than five books they had read. A number of students hadn't even read their A'level English texts. We had to run a remedial class for grammar and spelling because too many students were so poor in this area. Yet these were the students I presumed should be competent and interested in the subject! Nevertheless we must not mention the phrase 'falling standards' or we are told we might hurt the feelings of the poor little darlings! Tch!