in focus 19 july 2010
National Monday Update Issue:
Cohesion, not division needed to save international education
Last week has again seen disappointing comments from some in the tertiary sector on the difficulties being felt by many providers offering education and training to international students. Many of you would have read in this week’s ‘Higher Education Supplement’ in The Australian newspaper, an opinion article from Professor Jeffrey Smart of Swinburne University that was grossly inaccurate in its denigrating comments about Australia’s private vocational education and training sector. Some of you may also have seen commentary about a recently released article by Professor Adam Graycar with suggestions on how Australia can improve its reputation as a safe, high quality destination for international students.
Both articles display a startling naivety of both the situation and the impact of the current uncertainty in the international education sector on the students themselves. It goes without saying that it is extremely disappointing to see Australian academics publicly disparaging the private tertiary sector, when the overwhelming majority of Australia’s international education sector is committed to high quality education for its students and in working collaboratively to recover from a difficult period.
Furthermore, at a time when ACPET members are reporting extreme levels of anxiety amongst their international students, triggered by high levels of uncertainty about their future; the Graycar article suggests limiting student intakes from some countries and curfews on students when they reach Australia as measures to improve Australia’s international education. It is difficult to reconcile these views with the realities of the international student experience in Australia and with Australia’s reputation as a country which respects and recognises the value of its migrant heritage.
Australia’s innovative, high quality private institutions deserve greater respect than Professor Smart and Professor Graycar have afforded them
While we all know that it has been a difficult year for the entire sector, both private and public, the challenges we face are made all the more difficult when we must contend with baseless and offensive finger-pointing. It is time for the sector to work together to ensure government recognises the impact the uncertainty in the policy environment is having on current and prospective international students, on private and public tertiary providers, on the economy and on Australia’s reputation.
Both I and my Deputy, Claire Field, are committed to continued advocacy and cooperation to restore Australia’s reputation as a leading provider of international education and hope that others in the industry can make a similar commitment.
Election 2010 – Quality, Diversity, Choice
Members will be well aware that there will be House of Representatives and half-Senate election on Saturday 21 August. The Opposition needs a 2.3% swing to collect the 17 seats that will enable it to form a majority, based on new electoral boundaries.
ACPET has been preparing material to support members in their advocacy throughout the election campaign. The materials will focus on the theme “Quality, Diversity, Choice” and I will be communicating directly with members in the coming 48 hours to provide details of how these materials can be accessed.
In her first press conference of the election campaign, Julia Gillard offered a condensed version of what she has already presented in the early days of her Prime Ministership. She discussed what is likely to be one of the key Labor themes of the weeks ahead – a purported contrast between Gillard’s “moving forward” and Tony Abbott’s commitment to “taking Australia backward”.
Tony Abbott gave a press conference, using a short announcement to attack Julia Gillard and particularly her apparent obsession with “moving forward”. Mr Abbott had earlier announced a commitment not bring back Workchoices for the life of the next Parliament.
Please do not hesitate to contact me (Andrew [dot] Smith [at] acpet [dot] edu [dot] au (click to email )Andrew [dot] Smith [at] acpet [dot] edu [dot] au (Andrew Smith)) to discuss any of the above or to provide your ideas and input into the ongoing development of the Council.