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campusreview.com.au
Cash cows
controversy
ABC program raises concerns
about international student sector.
By Wade Zaglas
A
iring in early May, the Four Corners
program ‘Cash Cows’ sent shock
waves through Australia’s $34 billion
university sector.
The program alleged that some
Australian universities have become far
too reliant on foreign fee-paying students
to boost revenue, and have subsequently
jeopardised the integrity and standing of
Australia’s university sector, the country’s
third-biggest export market.
Another concern raised was that some
universities have been waiving courses’
English language requirements, which
were established to ensure international
students were set up for success both
academically and socially.
The academics interviewed for the
program contended that waiving the
requirements had led to a spike in academic
misconduct, increased the mental health
problems associated with academic failure,
and exacerbated students’ social and
cultural isolation.
Other interviewees were concerned
that many international students were
not interacting with ‘local’ Australians or
enjoying the lush and spacious campus
grounds sold to them in glossy brochures.
Instead, they were placed in university
campuses in major cities, at times unaware
2
that the administrative centre for the
university was in another state.
‘Cash Cows’ also suggested that the
waiving of language requirements had a
deleterious effect on domestic students.
The program interviewed a former Master
of IT student at Murdoch University in Perth,
Daniel Manganaro. He said he dropped out
of a subject because the tutorial group he
was in did not use English.
One of the institutions mentioned in the
program was the University of Tasmania.
Its vice-chancellor, Professor Rufus Black,
has committed to an “external review to test
concerns about international admissions”.
“We want to be a university that is
focused on high-quality education for
qualified international students,” Black said.
“We have also made it very clear within
our new institutional strategy that we are
taking a right-sized approach, and that the
march for constant growth is not part of
our future.
“I am concerned, having seen the claims
from Four Corners, that the changes we
have been introducing to align to those
two things have not had enough impact
soon enough…
“Today I am constituting a senior group
– led by our provost, the chief operating
officer and the executive director (quality
and standards) – to oversee admissions
until our external review is complete and its
recommendations are introduced.”
Black also said the university would no
longer be accepting Medium of Instruction
(MOI) letters for international student
admissions: documents that state that a
student has received most of their learning
instruction in a specific language, such as
English. These letters can be used in lieu of
completing English language testing.
University, student and professional
associations have hit back at the program’s
claims, with the International Education
Association of Australia (IEAA) labelling
it as biased and ignorant of the benefit
international students bring to Australia
“Each time the Four Corners producers
focus on Australia’s international education
sector, they seem intent on finding as
many negative angles as possible,” said the
association’s CEO, Phil Honeywood.
“Any media outlet can string together a
group of disaffected academics, students
and even education agents.
“The fact that the program’s producers
and reporters continually choose to ignore
the incredibly positive outcomes that
Australia is achieving with our 450,000
overseas students is cause for real concern.”
The CEO of English Australia, Brett
Blacker, also criticised the program’s
unbalanced view.
“The English language academic entry
requirements were the focus of a particular
attack from Four Corners on this occasion.
However, no mention was made that
only 18 months ago Australia significantly
toughened up its English language entry
standards. This included direct entry
pathway agreements which are now
subject to stricter controls by the national
regulator. These regulations are now
regarded as some of the most stringent in
the world.”
Universities Australia chair Professor
Margaret Gardner told Four Corners that
Australian universities are a success story
and data backs this up.
“There is overall evidence that, in fact,
the system holds up. It has good entry
standards, it has good standards in terms
of what it takes to successfully complete
a degree,” Gardner said. “And there is
evidence that we are admitting students
who are able to succeed at about the rate
that is really right for having a high-quality
education system in Australia.”
Honeywood and Blacker also attacked
the program’s producers for editing out
much of Gardner’s interview.
“Professor Margaret Gardner willingly
provided an extensive interview which the
producers chose to make significant and
detrimental cuts to in the editing room,”
they said in a joint statement. ■