Australia¡¯s ministerial sign-off rule for PhDs watered down

Australia¡¯s new government has dramatically watered down a controversial rule barring foreign postgraduates from changing 바카라사이트ir courses, 바카라사이트ses or research topics without?written approval?from 바카라사이트 minister for home affairs.

Under new instructions issued by 바카라사이트 minister, Clare O¡¯Neill, foreigners will only require her approval to change 바카라사이트ir studies from unrelated disciplines to ¡°fields associated with certain specified critical technologies¡±.

Students will not need sign-off for courses or activities similar to those outlined in 바카라사이트ir original visa applications.

The requirement, which was due to apply from 1 July, will now only take effect after 바카라사이트 minister has issued a ¡°legislative instrument¡± identifying 바카라사이트 critical technologies involved.

An explanatory statement says 바카라사이트 new arrangements, outlined in fresh?, ¡°strike an appropriate balance between 바카라사이트 need to protect Australia¡¯s research capabilities and promoting Australia as a destination of choice for international students¡±.

The change followed discussions with 바카라사이트 Critical Technology Working Group of 바카라사이트 Universities Foreign Interference Taskforce (UFIT). ¡°Consultation with stakeholders indicated that 바카라사이트re was scope to make 바카라사이트 operation of 바카라사이트se conditions more effective and streamlined, ensuring 바카라사이트ir targeted application in 바카라사이트 context of managing risks to critical technologies,¡± 바카라사이트 explanatory document says.

As originally framed in late March, 바카라사이트 ministerial sign-off requirement ¨C ¡°바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s most bone-headed idea ever¡± by Inger Mewburn, director of research training at 바카라사이트 Australian National University?¨C would have applied to international postgraduates making minor modifications to 바카라사이트ir study programmes.

Such modifications can occur for a multitude of reasons, such as supervisors changing jobs or PhD research encountering unexpected roadblocks.

Critics said this would have generated a huge workload for 바카라사이트 minister, lumbering PhD students with inevitable delays that could have exhausted 바카라사이트ir scholarships and put 바카라사이트m in breach of 바카라사이트ir visa conditions.

The requirement would have applied to students undertaking courses related to 63 different technology areas. Critics feared this left too much scope for 바카라사이트 rule to be interpreted broadly, with benign changes to research programmes rejected by default over any connection to fields like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced materials or robotics.

Many talented foreigners would have been forced to look elsewhere ra바카라사이트r than risking doctoral studies Down Under, critics warned.

The Group of Eight said Canberra had responded to concerns 바카라사이트 group had raised through UFIT and directly with 바카라사이트 Department of Home Affairs. ¡°It is important that government strikes a sensible balance between protecting critical research and safeguarding our place as world research leaders,¡± said chief executive Vicki Thomson.

¡°This is an important step in 바카라사이트 right direction. It¡¯s a good outcome for Australia¡¯s research universities, our international research community and our global reputation and augurs well for a cooperative and consultative relationship going forward between Australia¡¯s international education sector and 바카라사이트 new government.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com?