Australia Releases International Students Strategy
Release date: 03 Nov 2010
The Strategy outlines 12 initiatives to address four key areas of concern including: international student wellbeing, consumer protection, the quality of international education and the availability of better information for international students.
In April this year, COAG committed to a range of practical initiatives to better support international students, as part of the Strategy. These include:
Senator Evans said the Strategy will help promote a broader understanding of the benefits brought by international education to Australia and the countries from which international students come.
“It will also place Australia’s international education on a more sustainable basis,” he said.
“This approach complements the Government’s response to the Baird Review and builds on initiatives undertaken at all levels of government to improve international students’ experiences in Australia.”
The Strategy is available on the Council of Australian Governments’ website at www.coag.gov.au.
Source: The GovMonitor
In April this year, COAG committed to a range of practical initiatives to better support international students, as part of the Strategy. These include:
- A national community engagement strategy that will facilitate connections between international students and the broader community, including increased understanding of rights and support services;
- The development of an International Student Consultative Committee in the first half of 2011;
- The Study in Australia information portal, which has been providing authoritative, comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date information for current and prospective students on studying and living in Australia. The portal has been active since 1 July 2010, with information in 12 languages.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), which is now compulsory for international students for the proposed duration of their student visit, not just their first year.
Senator Evans said the Strategy will help promote a broader understanding of the benefits brought by international education to Australia and the countries from which international students come.
“It will also place Australia’s international education on a more sustainable basis,” he said.
“This approach complements the Government’s response to the Baird Review and builds on initiatives undertaken at all levels of government to improve international students’ experiences in Australia.”
The Strategy is available on the Council of Australian Governments’ website at www.coag.gov.au.
Source: The GovMonitor
Overseas student strategy criticised
Release date: 04 Nov 2010
AUSTRALIA'S human rights watchdog has attacked the federal government's international student strategy for failing to tackle significant problems.
Released last week, the government's plan is designed to address problems in the sector hit with a significant drop in enrolments and visa applications over the past two years.
The Australian Human Rights Commission's race discrimination commissioner, Graeme Innes, said the strategy overlooked crucial problems. He named transport concessions and safe and affordable housing and safety policies.
Advertisement: Story continues below The strategy, developed by the Council of Australian Governments, includes a community engagement strategy to tackle isolation and social problems.
Mr Innes said the strategy needed more detail.
"I'd like clarity around … how it will be resourced,'' he said.
International students are denied transport concessions in Victoria and New South Wales.
Mr Innes said he was disappointed this had not been canvassed in the strategy.
He also called for police with specialised knowledge around international student safety, specific strategies for female international students to tackle sexual violence and sexual harassment.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Chris Evans, who is in China, said there were ''early signs now that demand from China is dropping off'''.
But he said universities should not expect a government bailout if the drop affected their budget bottom line. ''It's not a question of the government picking up the tab for that loss of revenue, they'll have to adjust their businesses.''
Chinese students represent about 25 per cent of the market, but universities say competition from the United States and Britain is putting pressure on enrolments.
Monash University has projected a 10 per cent drop in international students next year.
Source: The Age
Released last week, the government's plan is designed to address problems in the sector hit with a significant drop in enrolments and visa applications over the past two years.
The Australian Human Rights Commission's race discrimination commissioner, Graeme Innes, said the strategy overlooked crucial problems. He named transport concessions and safe and affordable housing and safety policies.
Advertisement: Story continues below The strategy, developed by the Council of Australian Governments, includes a community engagement strategy to tackle isolation and social problems.
Mr Innes said the strategy needed more detail.
"I'd like clarity around … how it will be resourced,'' he said.
International students are denied transport concessions in Victoria and New South Wales.
Mr Innes said he was disappointed this had not been canvassed in the strategy.
He also called for police with specialised knowledge around international student safety, specific strategies for female international students to tackle sexual violence and sexual harassment.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Chris Evans, who is in China, said there were ''early signs now that demand from China is dropping off'''.
But he said universities should not expect a government bailout if the drop affected their budget bottom line. ''It's not a question of the government picking up the tab for that loss of revenue, they'll have to adjust their businesses.''
Chinese students represent about 25 per cent of the market, but universities say competition from the United States and Britain is putting pressure on enrolments.
Monash University has projected a 10 per cent drop in international students next year.
Source: The Age
High dollar hurting student numbers
Release date: 05 Nov 2010
The Australian dollar was sustained above parity yesterday and Victorian Premier John Brumby warned that the visa crackdown had gone too far.
International education is Victoria's largest export industry at $5.8bn. But the state's once-booming private college sector, which was driven by students seeking permanent residency, is braced for collapses and job losses in the wake of tighter immigration rules and the soaring dollar.
Some desperate private colleges have cut the price of a one-year diploma of business from $8500 to just $3500 in a bid to poach students, The Australian has been told.
The visa crackdown was aimed at stopping immigration rorts and student exploitation at some colleges. But Mr Brumby, who faces an election on November 27, said while a tightening had been needed, the visa changes had gone too far.
"I think some of these things can be addressed by some fine-tuning to the visa requirements," Mr Brumby told Sky News.
In China, promoting Australia to our largest student market, federal Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans said the rising dollar was hurting the industry, increasing the price of Australian qualifications by 50 per cent since the start of last year.
But Monash University vice-chancellor Ed Byrne said the key problem was that visa conditions required students to hold money in deposits to cover course fees and living expenses, the cost of which is being hiked by the dollar.
"We can't do much about a high dollar but it would be fairly straightforward to look at the appropriate financial conditions attached to a visa," he said.
Central Queensland University vice-chancellor Scott Bowman has budgeted for a 20-25 per cent drop in new international students next year. He said the government should consider more quickly phasing in improved funding for the sector.
An internal comparison of student visa regimes, compiled by a university and obtained by The Australian on the condition it was not named, shows that a Chinese student wanting to study a business degree in Australia faces having to hold almost $140,000 in the bank for six months to meet visa requirements.
That compares with Britain, where a student wanting to study at a comparable university would need only $28,000 held in the bank for 28 days.
Source: The Australian
International education is Victoria's largest export industry at $5.8bn. But the state's once-booming private college sector, which was driven by students seeking permanent residency, is braced for collapses and job losses in the wake of tighter immigration rules and the soaring dollar.
Some desperate private colleges have cut the price of a one-year diploma of business from $8500 to just $3500 in a bid to poach students, The Australian has been told.
The visa crackdown was aimed at stopping immigration rorts and student exploitation at some colleges. But Mr Brumby, who faces an election on November 27, said while a tightening had been needed, the visa changes had gone too far.
"I think some of these things can be addressed by some fine-tuning to the visa requirements," Mr Brumby told Sky News.
In China, promoting Australia to our largest student market, federal Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans said the rising dollar was hurting the industry, increasing the price of Australian qualifications by 50 per cent since the start of last year.
But Monash University vice-chancellor Ed Byrne said the key problem was that visa conditions required students to hold money in deposits to cover course fees and living expenses, the cost of which is being hiked by the dollar.
"We can't do much about a high dollar but it would be fairly straightforward to look at the appropriate financial conditions attached to a visa," he said.
Central Queensland University vice-chancellor Scott Bowman has budgeted for a 20-25 per cent drop in new international students next year. He said the government should consider more quickly phasing in improved funding for the sector.
An internal comparison of student visa regimes, compiled by a university and obtained by The Australian on the condition it was not named, shows that a Chinese student wanting to study a business degree in Australia faces having to hold almost $140,000 in the bank for six months to meet visa requirements.
That compares with Britain, where a student wanting to study at a comparable university would need only $28,000 held in the bank for 28 days.
Source: The Australian
Govt told to ease up on foreign students
Release date: 22 Nov 2010
Australia is predicted to lose $3.8 billion by 2012 because the Government is making it too hard for international students to study here, educators say.
The acting chief executive of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, Claire Field, says the nation has experienced a 31per cent downturn in international student visas granted over the past 18 months.
Negative publicity over dodgy education providers and violent attacks on Indian students had initially contributed to the downfall.
But the Government had overcome those issues and much larger barriers were now in play.
Ms Field said the Government was making it almost impossible for students to get into the country, with many forced to save up to $100,000 before being allowed to apply.
''For a student wanting to come and study in Australia, to do a three-year course, they have to put aside $18,000 a year for living expenses, plus all their course fees for three whole years,'' she said.
''Plus, they have to have that money in the bank for six full months before they can apply for a visa.''
Ms Field said this process was abominable considering those wanting to study in Britain only had to save enough to cover their living expenses and course costs for the first nine to 12 months.
To add to the drama, an Australian student visa took up to six months to process compared with four to six weeks in the United States, Canada or Britain.
''People are making the rational decision not to wait in queues for their application to be processed. They're taking their money and the dreams elsewhere,'' she said.
The decline was also having a drastic effect on the education sector, with a number of institutions forced to lay off staff and others considering closing their doors.
Source: The Canberra Times
The acting chief executive of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, Claire Field, says the nation has experienced a 31per cent downturn in international student visas granted over the past 18 months.
Negative publicity over dodgy education providers and violent attacks on Indian students had initially contributed to the downfall.
But the Government had overcome those issues and much larger barriers were now in play.
Ms Field said the Government was making it almost impossible for students to get into the country, with many forced to save up to $100,000 before being allowed to apply.
''For a student wanting to come and study in Australia, to do a three-year course, they have to put aside $18,000 a year for living expenses, plus all their course fees for three whole years,'' she said.
''Plus, they have to have that money in the bank for six full months before they can apply for a visa.''
Ms Field said this process was abominable considering those wanting to study in Britain only had to save enough to cover their living expenses and course costs for the first nine to 12 months.
To add to the drama, an Australian student visa took up to six months to process compared with four to six weeks in the United States, Canada or Britain.
''People are making the rational decision not to wait in queues for their application to be processed. They're taking their money and the dreams elsewhere,'' she said.
The decline was also having a drastic effect on the education sector, with a number of institutions forced to lay off staff and others considering closing their doors.
Source: The Canberra Times
Cry for help over fall in enrolments
Release date: 23 Nov 2010
EDUCATION groups who had discussions with senior ministers said they were optimistic the Gillard government would shore up Australia's ailing international education industry.
Members of education, business and tourism organisations travelled to Canberra yesterday to meet the Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen, the Trade Minister, Craig Emerson and the Coalition's universities spokesman, Brett Mason, to press for changes to support the sector.
The industry, which is the nation's most valuable service export and was worth $18.6 billion last year, is reeling from a drop in international enrolments due to factors including the strength of the dollar, changes to visa and migration rules and the damage done to its reputation by attacks on Indian students.
Offshore student visa grants have fallen more than 30 per cent in the past year and universities are cutting staff and budgets to make up for a shortfall in revenue from international students.
Education groups want the visa rules that require prospective students to have more than $100,000 in the bank to be relaxed. They also want swifter and more transparent processing of applications and greater efforts to promote Australia as a study destination.
Claire Field, the acting chief executive of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, said she was pleased the ministers understood the difficulties the sector faced.e
''They understand that Australia is out of step with competitor countries and they understand the consequences of no further change. We are looking forward to and hopeful of both short-term and long-term changes.''
Mr Emerson said he was keen to work with his ministerial colleagues and the industry to address their concerns.
''Our meeting today was focused and productive - focused on the various pressures bearing upon education exports and productive in agreeing to a results-oriented engagement with Austrade in promoting our education services,'' he said.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
Members of education, business and tourism organisations travelled to Canberra yesterday to meet the Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen, the Trade Minister, Craig Emerson and the Coalition's universities spokesman, Brett Mason, to press for changes to support the sector.
The industry, which is the nation's most valuable service export and was worth $18.6 billion last year, is reeling from a drop in international enrolments due to factors including the strength of the dollar, changes to visa and migration rules and the damage done to its reputation by attacks on Indian students.
Offshore student visa grants have fallen more than 30 per cent in the past year and universities are cutting staff and budgets to make up for a shortfall in revenue from international students.
Education groups want the visa rules that require prospective students to have more than $100,000 in the bank to be relaxed. They also want swifter and more transparent processing of applications and greater efforts to promote Australia as a study destination.
Claire Field, the acting chief executive of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, said she was pleased the ministers understood the difficulties the sector faced.e
''They understand that Australia is out of step with competitor countries and they understand the consequences of no further change. We are looking forward to and hopeful of both short-term and long-term changes.''
Mr Emerson said he was keen to work with his ministerial colleagues and the industry to address their concerns.
''Our meeting today was focused and productive - focused on the various pressures bearing upon education exports and productive in agreeing to a results-oriented engagement with Austrade in promoting our education services,'' he said.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
Watchdog plan for student rights
Release date: 23 Nov 2010
AN INDEPENDENT watchdog with the power to investigate every aspect of the international student market, from shonky colleges to poor-quality housing, would be appointed by a Coalition government.
Opposition tertiary education spokesman Peter Hall will today pledge to reform the international education industry in Victoria, following a dramatic decline in enrolments and reports of colleges treating students as cash cows and providing substandard qualifications.
A Baillieu government would appoint an ombudsman with the power to oversee both public and private colleges and the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, which is responsible for monitoring the performance of Victoria's almost 1200 vocational education providers.
Advertisement: Story continues below Mr Hall said the authority, which was criticised by the Auditor-General this year for failing to ensure colleges were up to scratch, was currently required to investigate complaints against its own processes. ''The industry needs an ombudsman with the powers to … report on the tertiary education sector without fear or favour,'' he said.
He said strict regulation and strong oversight was required to better deal with unscrupulous operators.
The Coalition would also establish a My School-style website for all training colleges in Victoria, which would include information on courses offered, fees, whether the institution was public or private, the history of the provider, staff qualifications, facilities and student services.
International education is Victoria's biggest export industry, bringing in $4.5 billion a year to the state.
However, federal government migration changes, in particular the lengthy process to get a visa and the requirement to have a significant amount of money in bank accounts, the global financial crisis and concerns about security after attacks on Indian students have caused enrolments to plummet.
International student visas dropped by more than 16 per cent last financial year and at least 11 private trades colleges catering for international students have collapsed in the past couple of years.
Representatives of education, business and tourism organisations yesterday met Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, Trade Minister Craig Emerson and the Coalition's universities spokesman, Brett Mason, in Canberra to press for changes to support the sector. They said after the meeting they were optimistic the government would act to shore up the industry.
Monash University, which expects a loss of 10 per cent or more of its overseas student enrolments next year, has slashed 300 staff and shaved $45 million from its budget.
Mr Hall said the Coalition would also train police to be more aware of crimes against international students and expand the International Student Care Service, which provides overseas students with accommodation, counselling, legal, emergency and welfare assistance.
The Council for Private Education and Training supported the Coalition's policies but said it would like to see a national regulator of vocational education.
Source: The Age
Opposition tertiary education spokesman Peter Hall will today pledge to reform the international education industry in Victoria, following a dramatic decline in enrolments and reports of colleges treating students as cash cows and providing substandard qualifications.
A Baillieu government would appoint an ombudsman with the power to oversee both public and private colleges and the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, which is responsible for monitoring the performance of Victoria's almost 1200 vocational education providers.
Advertisement: Story continues below Mr Hall said the authority, which was criticised by the Auditor-General this year for failing to ensure colleges were up to scratch, was currently required to investigate complaints against its own processes. ''The industry needs an ombudsman with the powers to … report on the tertiary education sector without fear or favour,'' he said.
He said strict regulation and strong oversight was required to better deal with unscrupulous operators.
The Coalition would also establish a My School-style website for all training colleges in Victoria, which would include information on courses offered, fees, whether the institution was public or private, the history of the provider, staff qualifications, facilities and student services.
International education is Victoria's biggest export industry, bringing in $4.5 billion a year to the state.
However, federal government migration changes, in particular the lengthy process to get a visa and the requirement to have a significant amount of money in bank accounts, the global financial crisis and concerns about security after attacks on Indian students have caused enrolments to plummet.
International student visas dropped by more than 16 per cent last financial year and at least 11 private trades colleges catering for international students have collapsed in the past couple of years.
Representatives of education, business and tourism organisations yesterday met Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, Trade Minister Craig Emerson and the Coalition's universities spokesman, Brett Mason, in Canberra to press for changes to support the sector. They said after the meeting they were optimistic the government would act to shore up the industry.
Monash University, which expects a loss of 10 per cent or more of its overseas student enrolments next year, has slashed 300 staff and shaved $45 million from its budget.
Mr Hall said the Coalition would also train police to be more aware of crimes against international students and expand the International Student Care Service, which provides overseas students with accommodation, counselling, legal, emergency and welfare assistance.
The Council for Private Education and Training supported the Coalition's policies but said it would like to see a national regulator of vocational education.
Source: The Age
Tertiary agency talks to resume
Release date: 24 Nov 2010
This comes as the government seeks to forge agreement on contentious legislation to create a new national tertiary education regulator.
"I'm hopeful there will be further opportunities for discussions between now and Christmas," Universities Australia chairman and Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake told the HES.
He was speaking after addressing a UA plenary meeting in Sydney yesterday, also attended by the Education Department's group manager for higher education David Hazlehurst.
Earlier this month the government was unable to finalise the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency legislation in time for the present parliamentary session after university representatives attending a budget-style lock-up in Canberra raised concerns over the draft documentation.
In an interview with Times Higher Education, interim TEQSA chairwoman Denise Bradley said she understood apprehension that a new regulator would bring "more regulation and red tape and not enough attention being paid to quality".
"Our aim would be to bring in a set of regulatory arrangements that have an emphasis on getting a good outcome as economically as you can," she said.
"As a former vice-chancellor, I am very aware of how much time this kind of stuff can take for very little reward. My view would be that the new authority will be all over institutions that appear to be a risk. I think they can expect a great deal more attention than they're getting in the current arrangements."
Professor Coaldrake said the government had been "very receptive" to the sector's concerns on the legislation to create TEQSA. "I'm very confident that there has been a shared understanding across our sector and with government on the issues of concern and that there will be further opportunities to discuss those matters," he said.
Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans has promised further consultations similar to the invitation-only lock-up. But that approach has caused some unease with the Group of Eight universities advocating for a more open process.
After having briefed fellow vice-chancellors at the plenary on the status of consultations, Professor Coaldrake said the sector had three key areas of concern that needed to be addressed more clearly in the legislation.
These were the need to preserve university autonomy, making more explicit the provisions ensuring a risk-based approach to regulation and ensuring a proportionate response to compliance breaches.
"The government has said it wants a risk-based and proportionate approach to TEQSA, and we wanted to see that adopted fairly explicitly," Professor Coaldrake said. He said that while the same standards needed to be applied to all providers, "the nature and track records" of different institutions needed to be taken into account.
"You need to be careful you protect the cachet of the system, and if you are being proportionate and risk-based you are going to be careful of new providers."
He said the legislation needed to be "tailored to the nature of the sector; that is, for education as opposed to any different activity".
Professor Coaldrake said the extra time taken to finalise the legislation would not delay the schedule for TEQSA.
The regulator is targeted to be fully operational by January 2012.
The government is aiming to finalise the legislation in time to submit it to parliament early in the autumn session next year.
"Universities Australia has always, and continues, to support the idea of TEQSA as a national regulator and we support having a regulator with teeth," Professor Coaldrake said.
He said the discussions were not about weakening TEQSA but about ensuring TEQSA did the job government wanted it to.
In the Times Higher Education interview, Professor Bradley said whoever became the first chair of TEQSA would be akin to "deputy vice-chancellor of Australia".
In other comments, she appeared to criticise the University of Melbourne and others for using titles in ways at odds with the Australian Qualifications Framework. "Universities are concerned about [the new AQF] because they've now seen that if it becomes a legislative instrument of the regulator, this framework, which apparently some of them have not been taking very seriously, will have legal force in a way it doesn't at the moment," she said.
Source: The Australian
"I'm hopeful there will be further opportunities for discussions between now and Christmas," Universities Australia chairman and Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake told the HES.
He was speaking after addressing a UA plenary meeting in Sydney yesterday, also attended by the Education Department's group manager for higher education David Hazlehurst.
Earlier this month the government was unable to finalise the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency legislation in time for the present parliamentary session after university representatives attending a budget-style lock-up in Canberra raised concerns over the draft documentation.
In an interview with Times Higher Education, interim TEQSA chairwoman Denise Bradley said she understood apprehension that a new regulator would bring "more regulation and red tape and not enough attention being paid to quality".
"Our aim would be to bring in a set of regulatory arrangements that have an emphasis on getting a good outcome as economically as you can," she said.
"As a former vice-chancellor, I am very aware of how much time this kind of stuff can take for very little reward. My view would be that the new authority will be all over institutions that appear to be a risk. I think they can expect a great deal more attention than they're getting in the current arrangements."
Professor Coaldrake said the government had been "very receptive" to the sector's concerns on the legislation to create TEQSA. "I'm very confident that there has been a shared understanding across our sector and with government on the issues of concern and that there will be further opportunities to discuss those matters," he said.
Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans has promised further consultations similar to the invitation-only lock-up. But that approach has caused some unease with the Group of Eight universities advocating for a more open process.
After having briefed fellow vice-chancellors at the plenary on the status of consultations, Professor Coaldrake said the sector had three key areas of concern that needed to be addressed more clearly in the legislation.
These were the need to preserve university autonomy, making more explicit the provisions ensuring a risk-based approach to regulation and ensuring a proportionate response to compliance breaches.
"The government has said it wants a risk-based and proportionate approach to TEQSA, and we wanted to see that adopted fairly explicitly," Professor Coaldrake said. He said that while the same standards needed to be applied to all providers, "the nature and track records" of different institutions needed to be taken into account.
"You need to be careful you protect the cachet of the system, and if you are being proportionate and risk-based you are going to be careful of new providers."
He said the legislation needed to be "tailored to the nature of the sector; that is, for education as opposed to any different activity".
Professor Coaldrake said the extra time taken to finalise the legislation would not delay the schedule for TEQSA.
The regulator is targeted to be fully operational by January 2012.
The government is aiming to finalise the legislation in time to submit it to parliament early in the autumn session next year.
"Universities Australia has always, and continues, to support the idea of TEQSA as a national regulator and we support having a regulator with teeth," Professor Coaldrake said.
He said the discussions were not about weakening TEQSA but about ensuring TEQSA did the job government wanted it to.
In the Times Higher Education interview, Professor Bradley said whoever became the first chair of TEQSA would be akin to "deputy vice-chancellor of Australia".
In other comments, she appeared to criticise the University of Melbourne and others for using titles in ways at odds with the Australian Qualifications Framework. "Universities are concerned about [the new AQF] because they've now seen that if it becomes a legislative instrument of the regulator, this framework, which apparently some of them have not been taking very seriously, will have legal force in a way it doesn't at the moment," she said.
Source: The Australian
Industry airs visa concerns
Release date: 25 Nov 2010
At a meeting with government representatives in Canberra this week, industry peak bodies pushed for greater transparency in visa processing.
It was one of a range of recommended policy changes aimed at ensuring that tighter immigration rules didn't undermine Australia's $18 billion international student industry.
The industry is concerned that immigration officials in different countries are applying policies on visa processing inconsistently, with some countries applying greater scrutiny than officially required by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's risk rating system.
Education agents and colleges have reported that up to 80 per cent of visa applicants from the Czech Republic are being subjected to interviews, according to peak body English Australia. That is despite the country's official low-risk rating, which means interviews aren't normally required.
English Australia chief executive Sue Blundell said transparency and consistency were required to avoid perceptions that policies were being applied unfairly.
"It is undermining people's confidence in the system," Ms Blundell said.
Claire Field, acting chief executive of the Australian Council of Private Education and Training, said: "There are concerns around processes that appear to not be as equitable or as consistently applied as they ought to be." .
A spokesman for the Immigration Department said that under the Migration Act the department can request further relevant information from applicants, including interviews.
The peak bodies yesterday said they had been encouraged by the government's acknowledgment of the issues at Monday's meetings, which had been attended by Immigration Minister Chris Bowen and Trade Minister Craig Emerson. Mr Bowen has already signalled that he and Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans plan to make an announcement on education and immigration policies soon.
The education industry is also lobbying the government to reduce the amount of money visa applicants must prove they have available to pay for tuition and living costs, not to disadvantage students already enrolled in courses that are on the list at present, and have requested the department to suspend for 12 months any plans to increase the risk ratings on source countries to allow time to judge whether tighter visa policies have improved compliance. Separately in Victoria, the Liberal-National opposition has promised to create an independent tertiary education and training ombudsman to scrutinise not just providers but also the state's regulator.
Earlier this year the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority was criticised by the state's auditor-general for not adequately assuring the quality of its activities.
The authority also faces claims from private providers that its audit practices have been inconsistent and unfair.
Opposition tertiary education spokesman Peter Hall said he would appoint a private sector representative to the VRQA board.
"The industry needs an ombudsman with the powers to independently investigate every aspect of operations and report the tertiary education sector without fear or favour," Mr Hall said.
The opposition is also proposing to create a public register of all training providers to better inform potential students.
The Victorian state election will take place next Saturday.
Source: The Australian
It was one of a range of recommended policy changes aimed at ensuring that tighter immigration rules didn't undermine Australia's $18 billion international student industry.
The industry is concerned that immigration officials in different countries are applying policies on visa processing inconsistently, with some countries applying greater scrutiny than officially required by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's risk rating system.
Education agents and colleges have reported that up to 80 per cent of visa applicants from the Czech Republic are being subjected to interviews, according to peak body English Australia. That is despite the country's official low-risk rating, which means interviews aren't normally required.
English Australia chief executive Sue Blundell said transparency and consistency were required to avoid perceptions that policies were being applied unfairly.
"It is undermining people's confidence in the system," Ms Blundell said.
Claire Field, acting chief executive of the Australian Council of Private Education and Training, said: "There are concerns around processes that appear to not be as equitable or as consistently applied as they ought to be." .
A spokesman for the Immigration Department said that under the Migration Act the department can request further relevant information from applicants, including interviews.
The peak bodies yesterday said they had been encouraged by the government's acknowledgment of the issues at Monday's meetings, which had been attended by Immigration Minister Chris Bowen and Trade Minister Craig Emerson. Mr Bowen has already signalled that he and Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans plan to make an announcement on education and immigration policies soon.
The education industry is also lobbying the government to reduce the amount of money visa applicants must prove they have available to pay for tuition and living costs, not to disadvantage students already enrolled in courses that are on the list at present, and have requested the department to suspend for 12 months any plans to increase the risk ratings on source countries to allow time to judge whether tighter visa policies have improved compliance. Separately in Victoria, the Liberal-National opposition has promised to create an independent tertiary education and training ombudsman to scrutinise not just providers but also the state's regulator.
Earlier this year the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority was criticised by the state's auditor-general for not adequately assuring the quality of its activities.
The authority also faces claims from private providers that its audit practices have been inconsistent and unfair.
Opposition tertiary education spokesman Peter Hall said he would appoint a private sector representative to the VRQA board.
"The industry needs an ombudsman with the powers to independently investigate every aspect of operations and report the tertiary education sector without fear or favour," Mr Hall said.
The opposition is also proposing to create a public register of all training providers to better inform potential students.
The Victorian state election will take place next Saturday.
Source: The Australian
One-stop Ombudsman shop
Release date: 25 Nov 2010
On Monday, the Senate education committee endorsed the Education Services for Overseas Students Legislation Amendment Bill 2010.
The bill picks up recommendations from March's Baird report, including a tougher registration test that requires a judgment about the financial means and business model of a would-be provider.
English Australia, which represents English-language colleges, backed this vetting in the light of recent business failures but questioned whether regulators would have the expertise necessary.
The bill also would extend the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman on the basis that overseas students at private colleges lacked access to an external, independent complaints body.
The Senate committee noted that if two students, one domestic and one overseas, at the same private college had the same complaint, the domestic student would have no access to the Ombudsman.
In response, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations stressed "the particular vulnerabilities" of overseas students.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the Ombudsman should become "a one-stop national authority" for student complaints, for public as well as private providers and domestic as well as overseas students.
Source: The Australian
The bill picks up recommendations from March's Baird report, including a tougher registration test that requires a judgment about the financial means and business model of a would-be provider.
English Australia, which represents English-language colleges, backed this vetting in the light of recent business failures but questioned whether regulators would have the expertise necessary.
The bill also would extend the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman on the basis that overseas students at private colleges lacked access to an external, independent complaints body.
The Senate committee noted that if two students, one domestic and one overseas, at the same private college had the same complaint, the domestic student would have no access to the Ombudsman.
In response, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations stressed "the particular vulnerabilities" of overseas students.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the Ombudsman should become "a one-stop national authority" for student complaints, for public as well as private providers and domestic as well as overseas students.
Source: The Australian
