Foreign students reported for absence, unsatisfactory results in Queensland

Brisbane, Aug. 21 (ANI): Data obtained by The Courier-Mail shows that between July 2007 and June this year, 10,913 notices were issued to international students by registered higher education providers in Australia in compliance with the requirements of the Commonwealth Education Services for Overseas Students Act.

This coincides with the Australian Government's moves to tighten the criteria Australia's registered higher education providers must meet in the wake of claims some colleges, principally private facilities offering vocational courses, are ripping off international students.

The Provider Registration and International Students Management System received 6190 notices for unsatisfactory attendance, while 4723 were for unsatisfactory course progress. While the number seems high, more than one million international student enrolments were active at some point.

A Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations spokesman said yesterday students were not reported to PRISMS until the university or college had complied with a number of steps, including notifying a student of their intention to report them.

Once a student is reported, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is also advised and students face having their visa cancelled.

So far, this year, nearly one-fifth of the Queensland University of Technology's 5000 international students have been advised they are "at risk" of unsatisfactory course progress.

Griffith University, which had nearly 10,000 overseas students last year, reported 94 to PRISMS; Central Queensland University reported 129 out of about 5000; James Cook University nine of about 1600; and the University of the Sunshine Coast, four of about 1000. (ANI)