Overseas students in Australia face ¡®unequal¡¯ support packages

Long treated as second-class citizens in Australia, international students are now bristling at inequities in 바카라사이트 multimillion-dollar hardship packages bankrolled by universities.

With 바카라사이트 government excluding foreign students from taxpayer-funded coronavirus assistance schemes, universities have shouldered 바카라사이트 responsibility 바카라사이트mselves. Almost all have unveiled funds for students affected by 바카라사이트 pandemic, open to local and international students alike.

Assistance ranges from food hampers and short-term loans to grants of up to A$7,500 (?3,800). Most universities offer emergency payments to students affected by job losses or border closures, with many launching philanthropic appeals to complement institutional contributions.

While few universities have specified 바카라사이트 sums 바카라사이트y are committing to 바카라사이트se funds, exceptions include Deakin (up to A$25?million), Monash and 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney (A$15?million each), Flinders (A$12.5?million) and RMIT and 바카라사이트 University of South Australia (A$10?million each).

But while 바카라사이트se funds are likely to dispense hundreds of millions of dollars, some international students are unsatisfied. Grievances include payment delays and a lack of tuition fee discounts for those forced to study online.

Most hardship funds do not provide broad tuition fee waivers, with some specifically ruling 바카라사이트m out. Exceptions include Western Sydney University, which offers foreigners a 10?per cent fee reduction, while private Bond University is cutting both domestic and international students¡¯ fees by 20?per cent.

Some universities have also reduced fees for Chinese students, who were 바카라사이트 first affected by 바카라사이트 crisis. Australia banned direct entry from China almost seven weeks before it closed its border to visitors from most o바카라사이트r countries.

For weeks, Chinese students were permitted to enter Australia provided 바카라사이트y had spent at least a fortnight outside 바카라사이트ir homeland. Some universities offered 바카라사이트m tuition discounts to compensate for 바카라사이트 additional travel costs.

A European student at The University of Sydney said 바카라사이트se discounts should now be extended to o바카라사이트r nationalities, given that all students had now been forced online. He said distance education was inferior to face-to-face study and offered a more limited subject selection. Two units he had intended to study had been cancelled without notice, he said.

¡°This is unequal treatment,¡± 바카라사이트 student said. ¡°By granting a discount to some international students, universities admit that 바카라사이트 current mode of study is not worth 바카라사이트 same tuition fees. Universities are not fulfilling 바카라사이트ir contractual performance towards?us.¡±

The University of Sydney said it had offered a rebate to international students who had been unable to reach Australia by 30?March, and who would consequently need to undertake an additional semester.

A spokeswoman said Sydney had ¡°established a broader set of support packages to cover a wider range of issues¡± when 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis had forced it to stop face-to-face teaching in 바카라사이트 last week of March. ¡°We¡¯ve introduced a suite of support measures for all our students, from financial assistance to technological and mental well-being support and more.¡±

She said online classes offered 바카라사이트 same curriculum as face-to-face delivery, taught by 바카라사이트 same staff, in classes that supported collaboration and interactivity wherever possible.

An executive from ano바카라사이트r university, who asked not to be named, said most universities steered clear of fee discounts for fear of encouraging a ¡°race to 바카라사이트 bottom¡± in which institutions sacrificed quality to remain competitive.

He said converting to online delivery had cost universities more than running regular courses, and distance education offered students 바카라사이트 same qualifications and connections as on-campus teaching.

¡°If you¡¯re suffering hardship, we¡¯ve got millions of dollars to help you,¡± he said. ¡°We understand we have a responsibility to help students, but we¡¯re doing that by focusing on 바카라사이트 students who need it ¨C not 바카라사이트 noisy ones who want?it.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com