Thirteen language teaching associations from round the world have now signed up to a declaration on international students drafted by English UK.

The document calls on governments, agencies and institutions to promote international student mobility through all available means, encourage student exchange schemes, structure visa systems to facilitate student mobility, reducing cost and complexity, treat students as temporary migrants outside any net migration count, and establish a UN forum or agency to act as the champion of international study.

English UK chief executive Tony Millns said: "It is a fundamental human right to travel, and for us it is very important that international students can take a general educational course in good institutions around the world. It is very important that we support this.

"The declaration has now been signed by major associations throughout Europe and in Australia and New Zealand, and we hope interest will continue to build."

Organisations signed up to the declaration so far are:  English UK; Quality English (UK); ABLS (UK), BETA UK; Marketing English in Ireland; Fedele (Spain); Souffle (France); Feltom (Malta); AEPLE (Portugal);English Australia; English New Zealand; Education South Africa and the International Association of Language Centres (IALC).

Click here to read the full declaration.