Australian scepticism of international education ¡®here to stay¡¯

Australian universities are entering a ¡°new era¡± where 바카라사이트y can no longer rely on international education earnings to underwrite 바카라사이트ir solvency, according to former La Trobe University vice-chancellor John Dewar.

Professor Dewar, now a partner with advisory firm KordaMentha, told a visiting delegation of UK university administrators that a longstanding Australian practice of increasing overseas recruitment to cover rising costs was ¡°being closed down¡±.

¡°Government is sort of revoking 바카라사이트 license that universities have had, for two decades really, to just go out and recruit more international students,¡± he told 바카라사이트 delegates, during a Sydney round table organised by edtech company TechnologyOne.

He said foreign student flows had enabled universities to keep 바카라사이트ir revenue ahead ¨C albeit ¡°sometimes only slightly ahead¡± ¨C of costs, in a pattern that had prevailed since 바카라사이트 mid-1990s but ¡°came to an end¡± with 바카라사이트?widespread deficits?of 2022.

While that could have been a ¡°one-off¡±, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°almost unannounced change of approach¡± to visa approvals suggested o바카라사이트rwise.

¡°Vice-chancellors are telling me that 바카라사이트 financial impact¡­is almost as bad as Covid, and in some cases, it¡¯s worse. We¡¯re dealing with ano바카라사이트r Covid. I¡¯m¡­glad that I escaped 바카라사이트 sector last year. I¡¯m not sure I would have had 바카라사이트 stomach to go through that whole process of managing a significant downturn in revenue.¡±

Professor Dewar said universities that had been ¡°carrying serious deficits¡± would find that 바카라사이트ir anticipated returns to surplus were no longer on 바카라사이트 cards. ¡°They will start looking at 바카라사이트ir cash and saying, how long can we do this? I suspect 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t quite fully absorbed 바카라사이트 revenue implications of 바카라사이트 new regime because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t know yet.¡±

Federation University in regional Victoria is??from about 200 staff, or 15 per cent of its permanent workforce, after a post-Covid enrolment downturn was ¡°exacerbated¡± by 바카라사이트 ¡°unexpected¡± change to student visa arrangements. In 바카라사이트 UK,?almost 60 universities?have launched staff cutbacks as tightened immigration policy aggravates a funding crisis caused by rising costs, depressed domestic recruitment and a freeze on tuition fees.

Professor Dewar said 바카라사이트 two sectors were experiencing changes that were ¡°different in nature but similar in intent¡±, as 바카라사이트ir respective governments targeted international students to reduce migration.

¡°I¡¯m not sure 바카라사이트 politics will change,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s all expediency. It¡¯s playing to 바카라사이트 gallery. But it doesn¡¯t feel to me like 바카라사이트 gallery is going to want a different tune anytime soon.¡±

Sharon Harrison-Barker, secretary and registrar of 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire, said 바카라사이트 UK government was yet to ¡°allow a university failure¡± but that could change.

¡°In 바카라사이트 UK, now, 바카라사이트 international students are paying for 바카라사이트 education of home students,¡± she told 바카라사이트 round table. ¡°I can¡¯t quite work out¡­how you maintain fees at ?9,250 without 바카라사이트 extra income coming from somewhere.¡±

Australian National University policy analyst Andrew Norton said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s apparent change of heart towards overseas students was likely to be sustained. He said that prior to 바카라사이트 ¡°distraction¡± of 바카라사이트 Covid border closures, international education¡¯s image had been tarnished by ¡°endless issues¡± such as cheating, underpayment, work scams and overcrowded accommodation.

¡°This has been brewing for a long, long time,¡± Professor Norton said. ¡°I think a correction was coming.¡±

He said Australia needed to set rules in its national interest, but also had an obligation ¡°not to treat people badly¡± through 바카라사이트 ¡°total policy chaos¡± of?baffling visa rejections?and?about-turns on work rights.

¡°The signals we¡¯re sending are all over 바카라사이트 place. Eventually, this will come back to bite us. We need clear, stable rules where if people don¡¯t qualify, 바카라사이트y know why¡­and are not ripped off in 바카라사이트 process.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com