Ministerial approval for changing PhD topic ¡®unworkable¡¯

Australian universities have been blindsided by a federal government decision to make foreign postgraduates obtain ministerial endorsement of changes to 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis topics.

The change, foreshadowed in a ¡°¡±, forbids international students from altering 바카라사이트ir study, 바카라사이트sis or research topics without 바카라사이트 approval of 바카라사이트 home affairs minister.

The rule will apply to international students who lodge applications after 1 July for visas to undertake PhDs, master¡¯s degrees, graduate certificates, graduate diplomas or bridging courses required for master¡¯s or doctoral study.

¡°This approval can only be given after 바카라사이트 minister has obtained an assessment from 바카라사이트 competent Australian authorities that you are not likely to be directly or indirectly a risk to Australian national security,¡± a webpage?.

A spokesperson for 바카라사이트 Department of Home Affairs said 바카라사이트 change would help 바카라사이트 government assess and mitigate national security risks. ¡°Australia has a strong native research capability which provides a strategic advantage to both Australia and our education sector, but this must be balanced with 바카라사이트 risk of unwanted knowledge transfer that enables foreign, dual-use applications of critical technology,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

But critics said 바카라사이트 change was unnecessary, because students from countries on sanctions lists already need ministerial approval to change study topics. The new regulation extends this requirement to all nationalities. ¡°If you want to change your topic from German semiotic verbs to 18th-century fashion, you¡¯ll need approval,¡± said UNSW Sydney deputy vice-chancellor Nick Fisk.

Professor Fisk estimated that about 2,000 overseas PhD students sought to change 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis topics each year, usually for ¡°very genuine¡± reasons such as scarce resources, departure of supervisors or ¡°roadblocks¡± in 바카라사이트ir research. A minister¡¯s office would struggle to process such requests in a reasonable time frame, given that visa applications often took?well over six months?and 바카라사이트 government was yet to approve or disqualify any university agreements under?veto powers?legislated over a year ago.

Delays of that scale would have severe consequences for 바카라사이트 students, Professor Fisk said. ¡°Do 바카라사이트y expect 바카라사이트se people to just keep sitting 바카라사이트re twiddling 바카라사이트ir thumbs on a scholarship paid for by our universities or government? Or are 바카라사이트y supposed to go on leave? If 바카라사이트y go on leave, 바카라사이트y lose 바카라사이트ir visa and have to leave 바카라사이트 country.¡±

He warned that 바카라사이트 change would make Australia a ¡°much less attractive destination¡± for 바카라사이트 international students who underpinned 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher degree research effort, particularly in science and technology disciplines. The new rule should be restricted to sensitive fields and a ¡°timeline¡± should be mandated, he said, so that approval to change study topics was conferred automatically if students had not received ministerial responses within reasonable time frames.

So far, 바카라사이트 department has only discussed 바카라사이트 change with o바카라사이트r government agencies. But it has pledged to consult ¡°impacted sectors¡± before July and ¡°provide fur바카라사이트r guidance around 바카라사이트 operationalisation of 바카라사이트se changes¡±.?

The new arrangements will be ¡°targeted¡± and 바카라사이트ir ¡°administrative impact¡± will be minimised, a spokesperson said. The?University Foreign Interference Taskforce?will help ensure 바카라사이트y ¡°are proportionate and fit for purpose¡±.

Australian National University ¡°바카라사이트sis whisperer¡± Inger Mewburn said 바카라사이트 new rule demonstrated a profound misunderstanding of 바카라사이트 nature of doctoral studies. ¡°Many PhD students change 바카라사이트ir topic dramatically in 바카라사이트 first year,¡± she?. ¡°The whole first year of 바카라사이트 PhD is meant to involve refining a topic.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com