University lecturers as border guards

This is the programme of a workshop being run by a private sector organisation to train university staff in how to police the UK's border. I am posting it up not in order to recruit for it, but just to show the extent to which border regulation is being farmed out to other sectors, including the Higher Education sector, and also to note the extent to which the private sector are exploiting this. Be warned -- this is depressing:

As I am sure you are aware, your institution has a responsibility to prevent illegal working, provide evidence of an employee’s Right to Work and comply fully with UKBA regulations. The failure to do so can lead to punitive fines and a removal of your licence to hire migrant workers. It is also vital that academic institutions vigorously check their overseas students documents and academic records. Sponsoring students who hold fake passports, visas and educational certificates opens your organisation to wealth of potential problems that could result following any UKBA audit.

BFI’s Document Verification Workshop for Universities, Schools & Colleges will provide Admissions and HR teams with practical, hands-on training in recognising fraudulent documents; enabling attendees to get to grips with the legal responsibilities surrounding document verification for applicants: staff & students, spotting fake qualifications and ID documents, giving each delegate the chance to handle and compare fake and real examples.

Highlights include:

Legal overview of institution’s responsibilities;

* UKBA regulation

* Discrimination

* Data protection

Combating education fraud;

* What countries and agencies to watch out for

* Real life examples of fake degrees and diplomas

Masterclass in identity checks;

* Passports

* Photo ID and driving licenses

* Birth certificates

* Supporting documents

* Stamps

* Visas

Agenda

0930 Coffee & Registration

0950 Chairman’s welcome & introduction to the day

1000 DOCUMENT VERIFICATION: WHAT ARE YOUR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN EMPLOYING STAFF & SPONSORING STUDENTS?

* What are the consequences of getting document verification wrong?

* Understanding your obligations to prevent illegal working in the UK under the Immigration, Asylum & Nationality Act 2006.

* Right to work – what documents do you need to see and retain?

* What are the responsibilities of the employer regarding ongoing checks?

* Working within the law: avoiding contravention of discrimination legislation

* Issues around recording and storing data that you must be aware of

1100   Coffee Break

1115 COMBATING EDUCATION FRAUD: WHAT MUST YOUR ORGANISATION BE LOOKING OUT FOR?

This hands-on session will allow you to bring your policy questions directly to an education fraud expert and handle example fake documents ensuring that your staff members are fully equipped to recognise fraud.

* Demonstrating compliance: are your staff members able to recognise fraudulent documents?

* Avoiding pitfalls in your admissions policy

* Dealing with particular countries & agencies

* Spotting fake degrees: what red flags should you be looking out for?

* Practical examples of fraudulent documents

* English language requirements

* Which agencies can help you?

1245   Lunch

1345 MASTERCLASS - CHECKING IDENTITY: RECOGNISING FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS

* Identity; attributed, biographical, biometric and chosen

* Do you know what to look for?

* Common scams to be aware of

* What to do when you spot an irregularity

* Passports

* Photo ID and driving licenses

* Birth certificates

* Supporting documents

* Stamps

* Visas

* Cross-referencing with other data

* How to proceed if you discover inconsistencies

* Addressing concerns directly with candidates – possible pitfalls

* Establishing and integrating secure documents and identity verification processes

* How easy is it to miss a forged document?

* What are the areas we should look at for verification?

* Live examples of fraudulent documentation

* Comparisons of real and fake documents

* Counterfeits and forgeries