The UK secretary of state for education, Gillian Keegan will oppose any potential cuts to international student numbers by the Home Office and has shown strong support for international students.

Keegan and home secretary SuellaBraverman reportedly met last week to discuss international student numbers and the ability of students on "low-value" courses to bring dependants to the UK, the Financial Times reported that government officials said.

"It's a sector we should be very proud of," said Keegan, in an interview with the Financial Times. "It’s world-leading, a great advert to our country."

Ian Crichton, CEO of Study Group, told The PIE that Keegan's expression of support is "significant".

Crichton highlighted the dangers of describing university courses as "low-value", highlighting that all courses are designed to meet quality standards set out by the regulator.

"It is vital that international education isn't treated as a political football," said Crichton.

It is reported that Keegan has agreed to help the Home Office to hone in on abuse in the system and told the publication her aims of ensuring a high-quality course offer to both British and international students.

Sources close to Ms Keegan told the Education Secretary would highlight the "soft power" that British universities offer on the international stage. She was keen to emphasise the 'benefits foreign students bring to the UK, both financially and in terms of the UK's reputation abroad'(The I News).

Meanwhile, parliamentarian and chancellor of the University of Birmingham, Lord Karan Bilimoria asked the government to continue to increase the number of international students from net migration figures. He also asked for confirmation that the two-year work visa will be retained, rather than reduced.

Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK, previously told the I News that introducing a cap on international students would be “an act of economic self-harm” that "doesn't make any rational sense".

"It's nonsensical for the UK Government to think about restricting the UK's popularity with international students, especially when they're so adamantly focused on growth. I don't understand the politics of it," she said.