One of the worst-kept secrets in Australian higher education is that many international students are primarily coming to Australia for its work rights and pathways to permanent residency, rather than for its academic offerings. This trend is particularly evident in the private vocational education sector, where many courses are seen as low-quality and non-genuine.
The quality of Australian university degrees has also suffered with the surge in international student numbers. According to an article in The Australian Financial Review, Chinese students, for example, regard Australian degrees as less prestigious and of lower quality compared to those from the US and UK. They believe that capping student enrolments could enhance the value of these degrees by making them scarcer and more competitive.
Kepuyan Wu from Melbourne University and Jining Wen from Sydney University, two Chinese students, commented that limiting enrolment numbers would improve the perceived quality of Australian degrees. Yuzhe Zhou, another Chinese international student, referred to Australian degrees as “shui shuo,” meaning “water degrees,” due to their shorter duration and perceived lower academic value.
South Asian students also dominate the influx of international students into Australia, motivated more by the desire for post-study work opportunities (52%) and pathways to permanent residency (43%) than by the quality of education. These factors are crucial for their decision to study in Australia, which remains the top choice for international students when compared to other countries.
To address these issues, Australian universities should focus on recruiting a smaller, more genuine pool of international students by raising entry standards, including higher financial barriers, stricter English proficiency requirements, and more stringent pre-admission testing. Reducing group assignments and breaking the link between studying, working, and permanent residency could also enhance the quality of education and improve working conditions for lower-skilled jobs.
By prioritizing quality over quantity, Australian universities can regain their standing as top global educational institutions and offer more meaningful degrees that better prepare students for their future careers.
