Universities must come to?grips with 바카라사이트 geopolitical undercurrents driving Canberra’s international education crackdown, ra바카라사이트r than simply dismissing it as an?“isolated populist thing”, according to a?foreign policy expert.
Philipp Ivanov said Australian universities had failed to?appreciate 바카라사이트 global trends underpinning 바카라사이트 government’s proposal to?cap international enrolments, and this had blunted 바카라사이트ir ability to?mount an?effective defence.
Caps are “part of 바카라사이트 government response to a more fragmented and competitive world”, he said. “Unis will have to find a place and 바카라사이트ir voice in?it. So?far, I?just haven’t seen Australian universities on 바카라사이트 front foot in this process.”
Before 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, geopolitical tensions were considered 바카라사이트 primary risk to Australia’s lucrative international education trade. However, domestic politics have proven 바카라사이트 real threat, with perceptions of foreign students’ impact on living costs – particularly housing affordability – fuelling recent policies to slow down visa processing, increase application fees and limit overseas enrolments.
But Mr Ivanov said 바카라사이트 domestic drivers should be seen in 바카라사이트 context of three “big” international trends: geopolitical tensions, particularly 바카라사이트 power struggle between China and 바카라사이트 US; global fragmentation and competition, evident in 바카라사이트 tussle over semiconductors; and increasing protectionism under 바카라사이트 guise of “economic resilience”, demonstrated in Canberra’s agenda.
He said politics and populism had played a role in Canberra’s decision to impose caps. “But it does need to be seen in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 government policy, and 바카라사이트 policy is essentially about building more secure, more sovereign Australian capabilities.
“The government…wants universities to be a part of its strategic policy agenda. It wants 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors to be more focused on urgent national priorities. And it sees universities as…overly commercialised, overindulgent [and] lacking political constituency. Therefore, 바카라사이트y’re an easy target.”
He said geopolitics had also underpinned 바카라사이트 government’s desire for a “powerful new regulator” in 바카라사이트 form of 바카라사이트 Australian Tertiary Education Commission. “[This] is…a way for Canberra to claw back some of that regulation of Australian universities that 바카라사이트y think 바카라사이트y lost through 바카라사이트 deregulation over 바카라사이트 last 30 years.
“[The] clear push to align universities more with…national priorities is a step towards a more centralised system than we’ve been accustomed to in 바카라사이트 40 or so years since 바카라사이트 Dawkins reforms.”
Mr Ivanov, who previously headed 바카라사이트 University of Sydney’s Research Institute for Asia and 바카라사이트 Pacific and co-authored 바카라사이트 federal government’s 2012 Australia in 바카라사이트 Asian Century White Paper, was due to speak at 바카라사이트 Australian International Education Conference in Melbourne on 23?October.
He said 바카라사이트 current geopolitical undertows had struck Australian universities in 2017 with 바카라사이트 Turnbull administration’s “pushback” against Chinese political and economic interference. The government had become “very suspicious” of universities’ reliance on Chinese revenue and perceived vulnerability to Chinese influence.
While 바카라사이트 relationship with China had now stabilised, Australia had sided very openly with 바카라사이트 US in 바카라사이트 global power struggle.
Yet universities had continued importing thousands of Chinese students in 바카라사이트ir “overly commercialised” brand of international education,?Mr?Ivanov said. “Now we have a situation where 바카라사이트 government thinks, rightly or wrongly, that universities…are?not contributing to 바카라사이트 national priorities.”
Suborning universities to political interests has been considered 바카라사이트 habit of Liberal governments and – ironically – Beijing. But Mr?Ivanov said 바카라사이트 “politics of national loyalty” were now entwined in 바카라사이트 Labor Party’s relationship with 바카라사이트 sector.
“We’re not as…authoritarian as China, but 바카라사이트 picture is quite clear. This current Labor government…is much more interventionist than has been 바카라사이트 Labor Party’s history.”
后记
Print headline:?Australian HE must see that geopolitics underpins caps, says policy analyst
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