international education
campusreview.com.au
Murdoch University. Photo: Ross Swanborough
‘A dangerous precedent’
Murdoch’s ‘aggressive’ student
recruitment could hurt sector.
By Wade Zaglas
A
Murdoch University staff member,
who would prefer not to be named
for legal reasons, says the ABC TV
Four Corners program on international
students could have a negative impact on
the ability of other Australian universities to
recruit from growing student markets like
India, Pakistan and Nepal.
In May this year, the Four Corners
episode ‘Cash Cows’ exposed the lengths
to which some universities were going to
enrol international students. Academics
from Murdoch University appeared on the
program, stating that a disproportionate
number of students (many from the Punjab
region of India) did not have the requisite
English or subject matter knowledge to be
successful in their courses.
The anonymous staff member said he
feared retribution if he spoke out to the
media, adding the university had proven
itself to be “particularly litigious”. He said
academics regularly had to “modify
courses on the fly to accommodate
[students’] lack of background knowledge
in the subject areas”, and a significant
number of overseas students seemed to
“have slipped through the net” in gaining
entry to courses such as the Master of
Information Technology.
Asked why the university would allow
this to happen, the staff member replied:
“I think [money] was the primary driver of
what was happening at Murdoch”.
12
He went on to say the university saw
huge spikes in student intakes over a short
time, doubling or tripling international
intakes for 3–4 semesters in a row.
The staff member said the university’s
immigration risk rating had moved from
Level 2 to Level 3, meaning the amount
of documentation a student must now
provide has increased and student visa
applications for the university will now
be assessed through the Department of
Home Affairs, not the university.
He also said that countries were ascribed
levels based on a number of factors, with
India, Pakistan and Nepal recently being
rated as Level 3 risk countries.
This is expected to have ramifications for
Murdoch University, as it will present “more
hurdles” for many of its students to be
granted entry to courses.
However, he also warned that Murdoch’s
“aggressive” recruitment of students from
these countries had the potential to hurt
other Australian universities.
“Murdoch’s behaviour has not only been
bad for its own reputation. It’s been bad in
that it’s impacted the country’s ability, or
the sector’s ability, to recruit from what was
a growing market,” he said.
The source’s comments come after
57 distinguished professors published
an open letter to Murdoch University’s
vice-chancellor, Professor Eeva Leinonen,
stating that its court action against
Murdoch academic Dr Gerd Schroeder-
Turk – for speaking out about its overseas
student recruitment practices – is setting
“a dangerous precedent for all Australian
universities”.
“It is a long-established principle of
academic freedom that academics must
be able to criticise university governance,”
the letter said.
“This right is especially important where
aspects of university governance might
compromise the integrity of teaching
and research.
“The claim for damages is highly
intimidatory to all Australian academics
and therefore risks the capacity of Murdoch
University and all Australian universities
to pursue excellence in research and
teaching.
“We urge you to withdraw the claim,
to settle any dispute without punitive
measures, and to affirm the commitment
of Murdoch University to academic
freedom as an essential university value.”
The Australian Institute of Physics, a
coalition of 23 international academics,
also issued a statement on Twitter
condemning the university’s action.
The Australian Institute of Physics
@ausphysics has issued a statement in
support of @4corners whistleblower:
“The AIP is proud to have Dr Gerd
Schroeder-Turk as a member of our
organization”. They reinforce the right
of staff to speak out & urge Murdoch
to drop legal action. pic.twitter.com/
bHNw82RlhN
— Elise Worthington (@elisereports)
15 October 2019
Schroeder-Turk launched an injunction
in the Federal Court in May to prevent
Murdoch University from removing him
from his seat on the university senate and
to reinforce his academic freedom of
expression.
Murdoch launched a counter-claim for
damages and costs.
The university argues his claims have
damaged the university’s reputation
and led to a fall in international student
numbers.
However, despite the ‘David and
Goliath’ battle, Schroeder-Turk remains
“undeterred”, lawyer Josh Bornstein told
the ABC.
“He’s very resolute and principled, but
at the same time … he’s keen to let people
know that this sort of behaviour by a
university is out of bounds and is designed
to intimidate and silence not only him but
any other academics or staff members of
universities,” Bornstein said. ■