International-student enrollments in Australia’s vocational-education programs mushroomed this past year, growing 35 percent from October 2008 to October 2009, according to data released by the federal department of education and reported by The Courier Mail. More than 225,000 foreign students take vocational courses, compared with about 200,000 studying for degrees at universities. Educators and others have expressed concern that a lack of government oversight of vocational schools, combined with an easy immigration process for students in certain programs, has led to the creation of some poor-quality academic programs.
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One Response to In Australia, More Foreign Students Now Seek Vocational Training, Not University Programs
raymond_j_ritchie - December 5, 2009 at 2:06 am
The vocational course programs for full-fee paying students have degenerated into nothing more than an immigration scam in which residency in Australia is bought: de facto the course program tuition fee acts as a fee to get residency status. Many programs in universities for full-fee paying foreign students are little better. Of course what I am saying is politically incorrect but when over half your class of overseas full-fee paying students disappears after registration you know something is going on. Those who come to Australia on scholarships are a different matter: they value the opportunity offered to them, work hard and do well. Good on them if they apply for residency when they graduate!