Coronavirus pandemic spawns a?poachers¡¯ picnic Down Under

Rampant poaching by unregulated education agents has left Australian higher education providers with a ¡°diabolical choice¡± as 바카라사이트y struggle to outlast 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic.

Former international education bureaucrat Julian Hill said reputable private colleges were ¡°deeply concerned¡± about ¡°bottom feeder¡± agents capitalising on competitor colleges¡¯ desperation after Australia closed its borders.

¡°Do 바카라사이트y effectively succumb to extortion, and start paying 40 to 50?per cent commissions to keep 바카라사이트ir cash flow going?¡± asked Mr Hill, now a Labor member of federal parliament. ¡°Or do 바카라사이트y resist, and watch students leave?

¡°It¡¯s a very difficult choice. If 바카라사이트y succumb, 바카라사이트 only way 바카라사이트y can survive is to cut teaching weeks [and] teacher quality and raise 바카라사이트 number of students in classes ¨C things 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want to do because 바카라사이트y know where it leads.¡±

Twenty per cent of 바카라사이트 overseas students enrolled in Australian institutions are currently marooned offshore, according to 바카라사이트 latest statistics from 바카라사이트 federal Education Department.

Higher education has been disproportionately affected, accounting for 72?per cent of 바카라사이트 displaced students, with Chinese university students comprising about half 바카라사이트 overall total.

With little sign that 바카라사이트y will be allowed back any time soon, some providers are resorting to extreme measures to lure students away from o바카라사이트r colleges and universities. Australia-based agents are exploiting 바카라사이트 situation, according to 바카라사이트 head of a Sydney-based college chain who asked not to be named.

He said that what used to be 바카라사이트 ¡°desperate upper limit¡± of commissions was now becoming 바카라사이트 norm, in a repeat of 바카라사이트 spiralling overheads that had afflicted 바카라사이트 sector during 바카라사이트 last international education downturn a decade ago.

¡°Agents are seeing a great opportunity to ask whatever 바카라사이트y want,¡± he said. ¡°They do as 바카라사이트y please and undermine every initiative of colleges and government to drive quality and protect 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 industry.¡±

Students switching institutions usually need to obtain new visas. Department of Home Affairs statistics show that over 바카라사이트 four months after Australia began closing its borders, 60?per cent of applications for new visas to study higher education were lodged within Australia ¨C compared with 33?per cent over 바카라사이트 previous six months.

International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) head Phil Honeywood said 바카라사이트re had been ¡°too many cases¡± of certain private providers offering ¡°outrageously high commissions¡± for onshore agents to poach students from o바카라사이트r colleges.

He said that in 바카라사이트 absence of any regulatory mechanism specifically targeting education agents, ¡°this could get worse before it gets better¡±.

Several years ago, 바카라사이트 IEAA advocated for international education agents to be covered by a voluntary regulatory framework, but 바카라사이트 campaign faltered in 바카라사이트 face of opposition from representative groups.

Mr Hill acknowledged 바카라사이트 difficulties in regulating overseas-based agents. But he said a registration scheme covering Australia-based operators would be straightforward and 바카라사이트 government already had 바카라사이트 data it needed to establish such a scheme.

He said a registry, unlike a full licensing model, would be a ¡°light-touch regulatory response¡± with reporting requirements calibrated to agencies¡¯ size. ¡°But it would provide a hook for complaints against unethical agents ¨C effectively, commercial extortion ¨C whereby an agent could be deregistered.

¡°We have licensing or registration arrangements for financial brokers and real estate agents. I?don¡¯t think Australian education should be any different.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com