SINCE the middle ages, students and academics have moved between countries, largely unrestrained, to share and develop ideas and knowledge. The UK is second only to the United States as a destination of choice for students from other countries.
International students bring huge benefits to universities but also to the local communities in which they live and the UK economy more broadly.
Indeed education is one of our country's great success stories and one of the UK's most successful export industries, delivering around £8 billion of income in 2009 (when the last authoritative estimate was made).
In terms of net exports, education remained one of the most valuable industries that year, behind financial and other business services.
The University of Nottingham has over 9,000 international undergraduates and postgraduates living on campus and in the city who bring significant resources to the local economy.
In a period of uncertainty over future levels of home student demand and reduced direct government support for universities, the income received from international students' tuition fees plays an increasingly important part of institutional finances.
Government, though, remains in a rather divided position with some celebrating the contribution made by international students and others preferring to reduce numbers in order to reduce immigration.
The most recent figures show that net migration to the UK fell again mainly thanks to a 23% drop in the number of students coming to the country to study.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics on 23 May showed that 190,000 migrants arrived to study in the year to September 2012, a fall of 56,000 on the previous year.
Mark Harper, Immigration Minister, continues to insist that the UK remains open for business to the brightest and best international students and "there is no limit on the number of international students who can come here and graduates can stay and work in the UK if they get a graduate level job." This is technically correct.
However, the Government's policies are having an impact in reducing student numbers and in certain parts of the world applications are dropping because the appearance created by all this talk of reducing immigration is that Britain really isn't very welcoming to international students.
It really doesn't help UK universities' international recruitment efforts.
Others in government are more supportive though. Speaking recently Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, stressed that international students were "good for the country, good for universities".
Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has also made a strong case for supporting rather than hindering international students wishing to study in the UK.
The UK's immigration reforms have received a great deal of international media attention and unfortunately much of the coverage has emphasised that there are significant barriers to studying in the UK.
One example of how the UK's attitude towards international students has been viewed overseas is the reaction to the UK Border Agency's decision to revoke London Metropolitan University's licence to sponsor international students.
In certain parts of the world, this has fuelled a perception that the UK is not as welcoming to international students as it perhaps once was, or at least that, that other countries look more attractive to prospective students considering enrolling overseas.
There have been significant declines in the number of new entrants to UK universities in 2011-12 from India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Australia.
Other parts of Europe are now looking more attractive than they were and are catching up with the UK's popularity as destinations for international students.
A Home Office study in 2011 showed that the levels of visa non-compliance for university-sponsored international students was at most two per cent, a very small proportion indeed. Since then significant efforts have been made to reduce this further.
While universities support efforts to tackle abuse, it is more important to recognise the significant benefits that the overwhelming majority of international students bring to the UK.
Of course students really aren't immigrants and should not be counted in the immigration figures.
Many MPs across all parties in a recent debate in the House of Commons argued for the removal of students from immigration targets and stressed the positive contribution they make to our national life.
International students come to the UK for three or four years and contribute hugely to many aspects of our society through the value of the money they bring and spend on fees, on accommodation and on a wide range of local services as well as the vibrancy they add to life in this country.
On graduation, these students return to their home country as wonderful ambassadors for Great Britain; they become passionate advocates in their home countries for UK higher education, create new businesses and employ other UK graduates and then some will become generous donors to their university.
Concerns about the Government's visa changes remain though as, regardless of their merits, they send negative signals to other countries about the value we place on international students.
Higher education is one area in which the UK punches above its weight – we have only one in 100 of the world's population but one in seven of the world's top 200 universities.
International students contribute massively to our economy and to our national life and prosperity and we should continue to welcome them to this country and remove them from the political debate about immigration.
Instead, let's celebrate this great British success story.