Australian education conies under spotlight over standards

Sydney (Agence France-Presse): International students are flocking to Australia in record numbers, contributing more than A$4 billion (US$2.2 billion) to the local economy in 2001/02, but experts warn strong growth must not dilute academic standards.

Some 150,000 foreign students were enrolled in Australian universities last financial year, lured by a laidback lifestyle, the weakness in the Australian dollar and a tertiary education system regarded as one of the best in the Asia-Pacific region.

Unlike Australian students, foreign nationals pay full tuition tees averaging about $20,000 a semester for their education and they must also cover their own accommodation costs.

IDP Education, which coordinates international education on behalf of 38 Australian universities, predicts international student numbers will balloon to 500,000 by 2025, representing an increasingly important revenue source for educational institutions facing government cutbacks.

IDP marketing manager Dorothy Davis said Asian students had always comprised the overwhelming majority of international students in Australia, 83 percent last year, and were expected to drive future growth.

Singapore was Australia's top education market in 2001/-02, with 22,000 students enrolled in local courses, followed by Hong Kong (20,655), Malaysia (18,500), China, (17,000), Indonesia (9,900) and India (6,200).

"There's absolutely huge demand forecast to be coming from Asia, particularly China and India," she said.

"The main issue will be the capacity of Australia's education system to meet demand."

Some experts are concerned that universities appear to be focussing more on revenue raising than academic excellence.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption in the state of new South Wales this year exposed a scam where Indonesian students at a Sydney university paid up to $2,000 to have their academic transcripts altered.

Adrian Wong, convener of the National Liaison Committee for International Students, was concerned about a push by Australian universities to establish campuses overseas.

Nearly one-third of international students studied at such offshore institutions last year and if their numbers are to reach 500,000 by 2025 then offshore campuses will be the main growth area.

But Wong said it was difficult to ensure quality standards at offshore campuses.

Wong also said there was a tendency by some top university administrators to view international students as simply a revenue source, rather than considering their need.