A Home Office advisory committee has ditched research assessing the impact of international students after academics labelled it "unethical".
The survey, set up by the Migration Advisory Committee (Mac), which informs Home Office policy, asked for students' views on international classmates. But it could be completed by anyone and some said it posed "loaded" questions.
A Mac spokesman stressed the survey was "not designed to be discriminatory", but confirmed it was being withdrawn. "Following online commentary it has become apparent to us that we will be unable to use the responses to the survey," the spokesman said.
The committee defended the survey, saying it was "simply an attempt to ask students for their experiences" and "had the potential to show a very positive view of international students in the UK".
However, on Thursday, it concluded the survey "cannot now be used to add to our evidence base".
Prof Tanja Bueltmann, a professor of migration history at Northumbria University, said the survey was "completely invalid and must never be used as evidence to inform policy".
A Universities UK spokesman said: "Due to legitimate concerns raised about a Migration Advisory Committee survey on international students, we will not be sharing it further.
"While it's important that policy-makers hear from students about international students' positive impact, views must be sought appropriately."
Prof Bueltmann said: "In principle there's nothing wrong with a survey on the impact of international students, but say you look Asian and you're actually British, but the student standing next to you thinks you're Asian?"
This could mean the person is basing their views on the wrong information, she suggested.
