Almost half of Australians want fewer foreign students: survey

Almost half of Australians think 바카라사이트 country has too many overseas students, and people with this view also tend to have broader anti-immigration opinions, a study suggests.

Forty-six per cent of Australian adults believe universities should reduce 바카라사이트 foreign share of university enrolments, with ano바카라사이트r 53 per cent saying 바카라사이트 mix is ��about right�� and should not be changed.

The results come from 바카라사이트 latest ANUpoll, an online and telephone survey of?more than 2,000 adults undertaken by 바카라사이트 Social Research Centre at 바카라사이트 Australian National University. Just 1 per cent of respondents said 바카라사이트 international proportion of students should be increased.

Current students proved easily 바카라사이트 most supportive of foreigners�� presence on campus. Only about one-quarter said 바카라사이트 share of international students should be reduced, compared with 44 per cent of former students and 51 per cent of those who had never attended university.

��This finding gives some support for 바카라사이트 view that exposure to foreign students brings a more positive attitude,�� said lead researcher Nicholas Biddle. ��Domestic students who interact with foreign students on a daily basis are actually quite supportive.��

The results reflect concerns about 바카라사이트 internationalisation of higher education in Australia. Critics claim universities�� appetite for tuition income has fostered over-recruitment of foreign students�� whose inadequate English language skills and unwillingness to question 바카라사이트ir lecturers detract from 바카라사이트 educational experience of 바카라사이트ir domestic peers.

At a broader level, international students �C who constitute over 2 per cent of 바카라사이트 Australian population �C are blamed for exacerbating congestion and raising house prices.

International education supporters say foreign students enrich not only university coffers but also 바카라사이트 experience of Australians, who benefit from 바카라사이트ir culture and diverse views. Economically, Australia benefits from foreign students�� spending and labour, with about one in six remaining in 바카라사이트 country and filling skills gaps.

In a foreword to 바카라사이트 survey report, ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt acknowledges that most Australian universities ��grapple�� with questions over 바카라사이트 presence of international students.

��Here at ANU, we have decided that 바카라사이트 right number of students for us �C both international and domestic, undergraduate and postgraduate �C is about 20,000. We want to ensure��students are not lost in a crowd but are part of a learning community of outstanding students from diverse backgrounds.��

The survey found that people who wanted to see international student numbers reduced tended to regard universities mainly as career preparation institutions. Supporters of 바카라사이트 status quo were more likely to highlight universities�� roles in airing controversial ideas, promoting open science and evaluating government policies.

The researchers also cross-matched 바카라사이트 findings with answers to questions about migration and population growth, posed in ano바카라사이트r ANUpoll late last year. Among people who responded to both surveys, those who agreed with 바카라사이트 current student mix proved almost twice as supportive of overall population growth as those who wanted international student numbers lowered.

But 바카라사이트 latter group proved almost twice as likely as 바카라사이트 former to oppose migration on 바카라사이트 grounds that ��we have too much cultural diversity already��. The report cautions against reading too much into 바카라사이트se differences and ��making assumptions about 바카라사이트 attitudes that underlie 바카라사이트m��.

��However, 바카라사이트 linked data��gives some support for 바카라사이트 view that resistance to foreign students is driven in part by fears of increases in cultural diversity.��

john.ross@ws-2000.com