Sydney: Australian colleges catering to
foreign students will face more rigorous regulation by year`s
end as the government weeds out unscrupulous operators, the
education minister said on Tuesday.
Under a bill passed yesterday, all colleges and schools
providing courses to international students will have to
re-register with the government under strengthened criteria by
December 31.
"This is intended to reinforce confidence in the quality
of the Australian international education sector," Julia
Gillard said.
"While the vast majority of education providers are
delivering quality education, unfortunately the sector has
been tarnished by the activities of a few," she said in a
statement.
Under the new rules, colleges will have to prove that
education is their principal purpose and that they are able to
deliver courses of a high standard.
Colleges will also be more accountable for the actions of
the agents they use to recruit students.
Education is Australia`s third-largest export earner --
worth more than USD 12 billion annually -- with tens of
thousands of students streaming in each year from China and
India.
PTI
