Penningtons is advising London Metropolitan University following the UK Border Agency's (UKBA) decision to remove the university's licence to teach or recruit international students.

The UKBA this week revoked the university's Highly Trusted Status to sponsor students from outside the European Union, leaving more than 2,000 students facing removal from the country within 60 days unless they can find another place to study in the UK.

Penningtons, which has offices in London, Cambridge, Hampshire and Surrey, provides immigration legal services to businesses, educational establishments and individuals. The firm is a longstanding adviser to London Met University.

The UKBA initially suspended the university's Highly Trusted Sponsor status in July, amid fears that some of its international students did not have accurate documentation to remain in the UK.

This week's decision is thought to have come after a sample of files of international students at London Met failed to show valid visas, adequate attendance records or sufficient standards in English.

Responding to the decision, London Met's Vice Chancellor Malcolm Gillies said: "I would go so far as to say that UKBA has been rewriting its own guidelines on this issue and this is something which should cause concern to all universities in the UK."

The UKBA announced yesterday that a government-led task-force has been appointed to work with the university and support students affected "and enable appropriately qualified genuine students" to find another institution to continue their studies.