The mire of internationalism
Former federal parliamentarian Mr Bruce Baird was at pains to reveal the difficulties and challenges of Australia accepting an increasing number of international students seeking study options in this country.
In his review of international education he and Education Minister Julia Gillard clearly revealed that significant problems have accompanied this open door education policy, notwithstanding certain much publicised attacks that have occurred on some overseas students from India.
Readers are directed to the joint press conference statement but the following broad conclusions can be dawn from the Baird Review.
i) Numerous local colleges of learning have been established to cater for an influx of international students.
Many of these institutions operated with limited regulatory control regarding their financial backing, course supervision and their level of concern for and integration of overseas students.
In short some education sharks have seen an opportunity to make a ‘quick buck’ with little if any regard for substantive education principles let alone any genuine concern for the students they enrol.
Not all such study or trade colleges should be unfairly regarded in the light as many reputable and professional institutions operate across Australia.
As with other career developments the inadequate operations of the few have given rise to a perception that all such institutions are questionable which clearly is not the case.
ii) The government is at pains to protect what Mr Baird indicated was a $17.2 billion export income earner involving overseas students.
With this income protection issue in mind the government earlier moved to address the question of course fee safeguards for international students when it funded an additional $5.1 million to sustain the ESOS Assurance Fund in mid-February.
Numerous government ministers have travelled internationally to assure country of origin parliamentarians and educationalists that Australia remains a safe and welcoming country for international students.
iii) The government has attempted to avoid the obvious implication that many international students have travelled to Australia, not because of its educational offering but because overseas students regard such education entry as a pathway to permanent residency.
There has been inconsistent and inadequate oversight of immigration, visa and health requirements at state and federal government level. Similarly in many instances courses being studied bear little if any resemblance to national economic need for Australia within an international economy.
Courses for hairdressing and cooking are fatuous examples of study needs that merely provide a foothold for permanent residency. They do nothing to generate a more highly skilled Australian workforce.. The government has rightly clamped down on their previously unfettered operations.
iv) Overseas referral or recruitment organisations have limited knowledge of Australian education requirements which indicates they operate for pure speculative monetary gain.
To say that some of these organisations operate on principles only slightly better than the repugnant trade in boat people is perhaps not putting too hard a criticism of their operations.
Social problems associated with overcrowded housing for international students, an inconsistency in social payment considerations and greater co-ordination between state and federal jurisdiction for international students merely add to the inadequacy of the current international student study program.
Thankfully enrolment and vetting processes adopted by independent schools in accepting international school pupils have avoided most of the inadequacies raised by the Baird Review.
An outline of the Baird Report can be read on: www.capa.edu.au/update/2009/review-esos
The statement on the Baird Report by the Minister for Education Julia Gillard can be read on:www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Gillard/Media/Releases/Pages/Article_100309_131013.aspx
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