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Media Release
STRENGTHENING STANDARDS IN OFFSHORE EDUCATION
8 April 2005 MIN 1081/05
Quality assurance for education services provided overseas by Australian institutions will be enhanced through two key initiatives announced today.
Each year more than 100,000 international students are enrolled offshore in courses offered by Australian institutions. Last year, income through tuition fees for these courses contributed more than $374 million in revenue to Australian universities. It is estimated that by 2012 income from offshore courses will exceed $1.5 billion a year.
The first initiative will provide $590,000 to the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA), to enhance the quality assurance of offshore provision by our higher education providers and the AUQA.
Allocated as part of the Howard Government’s $2.6 billion Our Universities: Backing Australia’s Future package, these funds will reimburse the direct costs of offshore audits and allow increased sampling of offshore operations of institutions, rather than whole-of-country audits. The quality of our provision of offshore higher education will be detailed in an annual aggregate report, prepared by the AUQA.
I will also be releasing a discussion paper today, A National Quality Strategy for Australian Transnational Education and Training, which will inform debate on enhancing offshore quality. The paper outlines current quality assurance mechanisms, and presents a range of potential policy proposals and communication strategies.
Comment will be sought from State and Territory Governments, peak bodies, providers, students and the education and training industry on enhancing the international recognition of Australia as a provider of high-quality education and training services. These measures will further strengthen the already robust arrangements which underpin Australia’s world-class quality framework.
Overall the Australian Government has provided $10.6 million for the strengthening of offshore quality from the $113 million International Education budget initiative.
Submissions should be provided by 20 May 2005. The Discussion Paper is available at: http://aei.dest.gov.au/AEI/GovernmentActivities/QAAustralianEducationAndTrainingSystem/Default.htm.
Media Contacts:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Yaron Finkelstein 0414 927 663
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Chris John 0412 650 549
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