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Universities face new corruption report
Recruitment fraud , undeserved passing grades alleged in Four Corners story .
By Andrew Bracey
Australian universities have been forced to defend recruitment and academic standards relating to students following fresh allegations of widespread corruption .
The allegations , aired recently on the ABC program Four Corners , included accounts from academics of repeated instances in which they had been pressured – from within their universities – to grant pass marks to substandard international students .
In many cases , according to the program , international students had poor English proficiency and instances of student plagiarism reported by academic staff were overlooked .
A sessional lecturer interviewed for the report said students who had failed or had submitted plagiarised work were often given repeated opportunities to resubmit assignments , rather than being made to face disciplinary action .
Meanwhile , undercover video recordings included in the report appeared to show multiple cases of China-based agencies – which a number of major Australian universities use to recruit students – offering to assist with the creation of fraudulent documentation designed to secure admission to Australian universities .
The videos also appeared to show agents explaining ways prospective students with poor English proficiency could sidestep IELTS assessment via tests that would be easier to pass .
In a statement responding to the Four Corners program , Universities Australia said instances of cheating , lax academic standards and fraudulent international agents were perpetrated by a minority within the sector and that the ABC ’ s report had presented “ a one-sided picture of international education in Australia ”.
“ It is unfortunate that Four Corners failed to acknowledge Australia ’ s global leadership as a provider of high-quality and highly regarded international education ,” UA chief executive Belinda Robinson said . “ Of course any evidence of cheating , lax academic standards and malpractice by agents should be condemned and thoroughly investigated by the appropriate authorities .
“ Universities are determined to protect Australia ’ s hard-earned reputation for the provision of high-quality education and are taking action through institutional , national and international initiatives to reduce any fraud or misconduct .”
Robinson said universities had been working continuously to reduce risks posed by the use of “ suspect agents ” and that dealings were terminated with those found to be acting illegitimately . Rigorous plagiarism detection practices – including specialist software – and protocols were also standard at Australian universities , she added .
In the same extended Four Corners report , two former senior nursing academics expressed serious concerns about the standards of local and international nursing students graduating from the University of Western Sydney and the Australian Catholic University .
Dr Sharon Hillege had most recently worked at UWS , having left ACU seven years earlier after , she said , she had refused – under pressure from a senior department staff member – to reverse her decision to fail a number of students .
Four Corners reported that some of the students she had failed went on to gain professional registration just months later .
Another ACU staff member , in a letter to then-health minister Nicola Roxon , warned the English proficiency of many students accepted into university nursing courses was worryingly low .
Also , former UWS lecturer Barbara Beale – who retired last year – said she feared UWS ’ s student assessment processes were flawed and potentially posed a risk to patient safety .
At one stage , Beale was acting department head of the UWS School of Nursing . She told Four Corners a paper she had given a mark of “ two or three ” out of a possible 30 was later deemed passable by another marker . Beale ’ s initial fail grade was upheld only after the assignment was repeatedly reviewed , she said .
She also said many nurse graduates being “ pushed through ” the university system ended up in aged care , where they were responsible for the care of “ the most vulnerable [ and ] ill people ”.
“ In the aged-care sector , there is not much supervision . Very quickly [ these graduates ] might themselves be the only registered nurse on duty and that is something that frightens me .”
UWS School of Nursing dean professor Rhonda Griffiths told CR the university “ takes the issue of graduate standards and integrity very seriously and has rigorous systems and processes in place to ensure these standards are upheld ”.
“ Whenever there is any issue or incidence arising that suggests there may be a slipping of the standards , it is very quickly and vigilantly investigated ,” Griffiths said . “ Nursing and midwifery programs are accredited by an external accrediting body and they are closely monitored by that body . Universities are particularly vigilant to make sure they uphold those standards . I think the issue here is [ being generalised ] across a large group of people when [ that ’ s ] not the case with these programs in Australia – they are world-standard courses .” An ACU spokesperson told CR all its nursing students received thorough workforce preparation , including clinical placements , and that the issues Four Corners raised related to events that took place seven years ago . n
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