Now that tensions have eased over the Indian student attacks, I thought I’d approach the topic to stimulate a real discussion about the issues at hand.
First, and I shouldn’t need to say this but maybe I need to, all forms of violence should be condemned, whether against Indian students, or people who are neither Indian nor students.
Second, the education sector in Australia is reportedly our third highest value export - and top service export - and that doesn’t count the indirect income it brings from inbound students who contribute through their participation in the economy. Some people also suggest educational standards have bowed to attract high paying international students.
Third, being educated in Australia is often seen as a gateway for skilled immigration.
How are these three points linked? Well, an increase in violence against students makes Australia as an education destination less attractive, never mind the promise of getting a visa. This is not good for our international reputation, nor our bottom line.
India is one of the countries Australia should court. I believe India will be a bigger economic player than China in another three decades due to its young population and domestically-driven economy. Given our shared Commonwealth roots, and the size of the Indian community in Australia, I’m surprised we’re not closer to be honest. Shame.
But the protests against the attacks did highlight another thing: Indians students aren’t just cash cows and therefore concerns about safety shouldn’t be ignored until it bursts into mass protests, diplomatic action and Indian citizens burning effigies of Kevin Rudd.
However, there was a rumour that Indian students were not reporting attacks because they feared that going to the police and filing a report would affect their future visa status. So whose responsibility is it to bring justice to attackers when incidents remain unreported?
There’s nothing wrong with coming to Australia to be educated with view to migrating here. I agree, bar the recent violence, that Australia is a great place to live. And despite the recent economic woes we still have a distinct skills shortage in certain areas, so skilled migration is certainly a help.
However, we need to decouple the education system from the migration system. The faint promise of a visa after graduating is not an ideal unique selling proposition: we should compete on the strength of our educational offering and our learning environment, not a migration future.
That way we solve three problems at once: students can feel free to report violence and steps can be taken before it becomes a diplomatic issue; the education sector can focus on becoming the best education system in the world and stop compromising standards to keep a hand on international student wallets; and our beleaguered immigration department can have clarity around real educational standards and real skills to service our society.
Let’s turn a cash cow into something more sacred: educated people who will contribute their knowledge and skills to society.
I have taught Indian students at a TAFE in Melbourne. None of whom were really interested in the hospitality course they were undertaken. I had to pass them because the coordinator said that they had paid for a pass. Not good for the students because there diploma is meaningless, not good for industry, not good for anyone
The violence against the students is really wrong and the people carrying out these violent attacks should spend a long time in gaol.
However a couple of things I don’t understand regarding the “benefits” of overseas students to this country.
Are they really students or back door immigrants who once they obtain ciitizenship bring their families into Australia. I work with former Indian students who have brought their elderly parents into Australia under the Family Reunion Scheme and they are costing us a fortune in pensions and medical care etc.
India has one of the largest military machines in the world which includes nuclear bombs, nuke subs, advanced jet fighters etc. Maybe they should spend a bit of money on building new universities?
Indian science & industry is a lot more advanced then Australian science, we can’t design & build Nuclear Reactors or launch a rocket to the moon India can, why are these students coming here unless as “back door” migrants?
If selling education to India is making money for Australia why doesn’s Australia build Universities in India and send our Professors there.
Australia needs skilled Tradesmen i.e. plumbers, carpenters, builders not more students doing computer studies.
How come the Indian students making all the noise in Australia don’t protest about the treatment of the so called “untouchables” in India or the treatment of Indians in Fiji?
A number of people have been arrested by Police for the attacks not one of them is of Anglo Saxon background. Security tapes have identified most of the attackers as being of middle eastern or pacific islander appearance. Is this an indication of the failure of Australia’s multi-racial immigation policy?
Working in education as an independent offshore agent in Central Europe the root causes are deeper, and lie within the industry in Australia, both state and private.
There appears to be no practice of marketing, i.e. research, strategy, analysis, feedback and especially no regular surveying of students and stakeholders for feedback (which is widespread internationally in education).
Australian markets tend to develop accidentally e.g. Bollywood film promoting Melbourne, or from previous long term plans i.e. Colombo Plan two generations ago. Further, like many Australian resource industries, education promotions (not marketing) are short term, number oriented and view students as commodities (not clients).
I think it would be even more complicated, assuming Australia requires skilled migration inflows, if decoupled from education. That could mean a migration candidate with Australian qualifications would be disadvantaged, or only first world candidates would be favoured (who may not find Australia too attractive)?
There simply needs to be more accountability, scrutiny and analysis of the industry, by the industry and others, to develop policy and strategy, as opposed to the obsession by industry leaders and employees have with travel plans to promote Australian education and migration.
As an Indian businessman told me recently in Budapest, are Indians to blame for AEI, Austrade, Universities Australia, universities, TAFEs and colleges aggressively promoting study and migration through constant newspaper adverts, fairs and seminars in India? That is Australian strategy, not Indian, pulling candidates to Australia.