Several British universities approached by INTO decided not to proceed after consulting with their staff. After a survey of staff at the
University of Essex, 90% rejected the proposed partnership. The objection to involvement with INTO was compounded by two things: that INTO does not recognise unions, and that Colin acknowledged that the rates offered were likely to be worse. The International Centre for English Language Studies (ICELS) at
Oxford Brookes University strongly opposed INTO's approach, and the
University and College Union (UCU) claimed credit for this opposition influencing the university's decision. In February 2007, the
Times Higher Education published an article featuring the UCU's dispute of guarantees that INTO offered to existing Newcastle staff. Colin rejected the UCU criticism, saying in 2007, "Give me three years and I will show you it is possible to create secure, well-paid jobs in EAP, and more of them," and rejected the similarity of his business model to
private finance initiatives. Colin said of the lecturers' union in 2008, "I've asked for a dialogue with the UCU, but they won't talk to us. The union causes a lot of anxiety and talk about standards and job losses, they don't mention the fact that we are creating jobs and that the university is responsible for academic standards." In July 2008, INTO threatened UCU with a legal suit for
defamation, in response to a union briefing entitled "Into the unknown." The union removed the document from their website. INTO announced that it had signed its first agreement in the
United States in July 2008, to operate a foundation year programme for
Oregon State University. OSU said that it had long wanted to expand the number of international students, and turned to INTO for its worldwide infrastructure and expertise in recruitment; some staff members, on the other hand, expressed concerns over working conditions. The programme was due to start in autumn 2009 with 150–200 students. A local news source,
OregonLive, stated that the new venture would "replace the English Language Institute, a self-sustaining program that has helped international students learn English for 43 years," a move that filled its former director with concern. INTO had been in preliminary discussion with several other British universities in 2008, the majority of which decided not to form a partnership, including University of Essex,
Goldsmiths College and
University of Westminster. Essex elected to restructure its own international operations, and Goldsmiths to suspend its internationalisation plans. ==INTO discussed by UK parliamentarians==