Ares, the coordinating body for French-language higher education, warned on Monday that a federal bill on the residence status of non-EU students could undermine the powers of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, FWB.
It could also damage the international appeal of its universities and colleges, Ares warns.
The draft law, put forward by federal Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt of the Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) party, is intended to combat fraud involving student visas used to gain access to Belgium.
In an opinion issued at the request of FWB Minister-President Elisabeth Degryse, who is also responsible for Higher Education, Ares said several provisions in the draft were “disproportionate” and even “discriminatory."
It said the proposed measures were not backed by statistical evidence showing they were necessary and could create unjustified differences in treatment between students under community legislation.
Ares also raised concerns about possible encroachment on the powers of the FWB, which is responsible for higher education in the French-speaking part of the country.
The body warned that the draft could have negative consequences for the international attractiveness of French-speaking higher education institutions and increase their administrative burden.
It also objected to the exclusion of courses organised exclusively on staggered schedules in the French Community, as well as many continuing education programmes and adult education courses.
According to Ares, the minister’s draft is “contradictory” to the French Community’s goal of strengthening its international appeal.
It said the planned new administrative requirements, tighter rules on guarantors and the promotion of blocked accounts could make procedures more complex for international students and place further pressure on higher education institutions.
In light of those concerns, Ares called on Monday for a comprehensive impact study covering all higher education in Belgium before any changes are made to the residence rules for non-EU students.
