UNIVERSITIES will put their reputations on the line by signing up to the streamlined visa processing system. The government will monitor the system and publicise any warnings issued or loss of eligibility status.

The Australian’s Higher Education Supplement informed the above through its article on this link

Will they or Will they not has been the question hanging in the air for some weeks now, not just for observers but also for the employed in these Universities.

Is this what they have been set up for? Is it to vet the documents (financials) and check for genuinity and then issue a letter that can lead to fast-tracked and streamlined visa processing. Maybe this is the modern definition of the job of a University…

The dictionary gives the role of a University as:

university |ˌyo͞onəˈvərsətē|

noun ( pl. universities )

an educational institution designed for instruction, examination, or both, of students in many branches of advanced learning, conferring degrees in various faculties, and often embodying colleges and similar institutions: [ in names ] : Oxford University | the University of California | [ as modifier ] : the university buildings | a university professor.

Recently I met with several institutions and wanted to only know as to how they intend to handle this role. The very few who seemed to know or wanted to be seen as one seemingly knowing, mentioned that they will work with their agents to find a way to deliver the requirements. Wow… Finally, the immigration is indirectly telling Universities that there are some good agents and that some agents do good work and that good Universities need to work with these good agents.

I am already gearing up to be able to do my part but the lurking fear is that if I or any of the other agents miss-out knowingly or unknowingly… The Universities will risk moving to a lower Assessment Level. Not fair to the University at all!

Another very interesting prospect: If a lower perceived institution with limited clout is moved down the assessment leval, it will be seen as right but “What if a Group Of Eight institution is moved to AL3?” Firstly, I do not believe that the Immigration will ever take such a step and if it does, they should be prepared for the full streamlining to be reviewed… Some Universities are indeed “Holy Cows” around the world! The other not-so Universities are already dancing to prove their caste by canceling “unconditional offer letters” based on “so called interviews after the student has made payment of fees”, aimed only at demonstrating that they should remain included in all DIAC plans. (I actually wonder if those Universities know the meaning of “unconditional” when they issue the offers of place. Will do a separate blog to show how such institutions are in the wrong already and will encourage the affected students to approach consumer protection bodies and ESOS provisions.). Now back to “streamlining”…

Another question: The customer for the visa office is the student who pays a set application fee. Why should he get a different treatment based on the compliance rate of the University he chooses? Should he not get the treatment based on his or her credentials alone when the visa fee and the process is meant to be the same.

Yes, I may not know all the facts and I may not know what is happening but what I know is the article from The Australian that I quoted above and from which I quote now…

It is understood some universities initially baulked at the increased obligations, but with rival universities keen to sign up to exploit the marketing boost they will get, most are expected to eventually join the system.

And

The Immigration Department will rate each participating university’s risk, based on the performance of its prospective and actual students against their visa obligations. The more students in breach of their visas, or with visas cancelled or refused, the higher a university’s risk weighting will be.

Large numbers of students subsequently applying for residency after their studies will also increase the risk level.

There will be five assessment levels, but to be eligible for streamlined processing, universities must maintain at least an AL1 or AL2 rating, and those down to AL3 will have six months to improve before being thrown out.

I am fine with the fact that roles of institutions can change but can only imagine DIAC laughing with the fact that Universities have given in. Now the Immigration can collect the hefty visa application fee and at the same time get the Universities to do all the job that they were not originally set up for AND which most believe, they will just not manage to undertake.

They say that IDP is co-owned by Australian Universities… If yes, why will they attempt at sabotaging the promotion of Australian Education where 26 Universities participated… Something is amiss.

Global Reach organized a major exhibition of Australian Universities in Kolkata… However IDP was found giving out information leaflets just outside the venue… This is also fine!

What is shocking that full stretches of roads around the venue where the Global Reach Australian Education Fairs were advertised through wall posters were found to have been deliberately covered in a manner that the turnout at the Global Reach run Australian Education Fair was low. That did not happen due to sheer goodwill that GR has in Kolkata but the very act on part of IDP demonstrates the new low that it has engaged with. 

Certainly it cannot be owned by Australian Universities! If it is, then why did it try to sabotage the very event where 26 Universities were participating to promote Australian Education…

• Elly Nowell, 19, tells Magdalen College it ‘did not quite meet the standard of universities I will be considering’
• She writes that she found ‘obvious gap’ between minorities and white middle-class students ‘embarrassing’

It is not often that Oxford University finds itself receiving a rejection letter from a would-be student, rather than issuing them with one.

So it will have raised a few scholarly eyebrows when state-educated Elly Nowell, 19, wrote to the elite institution’s Magdalen College without even waiting to hear whether her application to read law had been successful.

In a parody of Oxford’s own rejection letters, she told admissions tutors: ‘I realise you may be disappointed by this decision, but you were in competition with many fantastic universities and following your interview I am afraid you do not quite meet the standard of the universities I will be considering.’

Mocking: A-level student Elly Nowell, who is predicted A*s in history, law and English literature, sent a scathing rejection letter to Magdalen College, Oxford

Miss Nowell, who says she changed her mind about Oxford after being put off by her experience at interview, claimed  its admissions process was biased against state-school pupils – despite them making up more than half the university’s intake.

She wrote: ‘Whilst you may believe your decision to hold interviews in grand formal settings is inspiring, it allows public school applicants to flourish in the environment they are accustomed to and intimidates state school applicants, distorting the true academic potential of both.’

The teenager also claimed there were ‘significant flaws’ in Oxford’s education system and argued that the ‘gap between elitism and discrimination’ was a  ‘narrow one’ that the college had not ‘adequately addressed’.

Rejected: Elly Nowell told Magdalen College, which counts Foreign Secretary William Hague among its alumni, that there were ‘significant flaws’ in its education system

She wrote: ‘Whilst you may believe your traditions and rituals are impressive, they reflect badly on your university…frankly, I feel humiliated for both you and your students.’

Describing the interview process as ‘torture’, she accused the college of being ‘rude’ for not offering her a glass of water.

She also claimed there was an ‘obvious gap’ between minorities and white middle-class students that she found ‘embarrassing’.

Letter in full: The rejection letter that Elly Nowell, 19, sent to Oxford University via email

Miss Nowell, of Winchester, Hampshire, even cheekily warned the university to hold off on any attempts to ‘reapply’ and wished it ‘every success in future’.

Oxford yesterday hit back at her claims, pointing to figures that show that for 2010 entry, 55.4 per cent of places for UK students went to state school pupils.

Full figures for UK 2011 entry are not yet available but 58.5 per cent of offers were to state school pupils.

A spokesman said: ‘The irony is that six out of the seven people offered law places at Magdalen were state-educated.

‘It’s really important to understand that school attainment is the biggest factor affecting Oxford’s mix of students – not the way Oxford selects them.’

Magdalen College, which counts among its alumni Foreign Secretary William Hague, Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, documentary-maker Louis Theroux and Oscar Wilde, interviewed Miss Nowell, a student at Brockenhurst College, Hampshire, in December.

She is predicted to get A*s in her history, law and English literature A-levels, and now hopes to read law at University College London.

She said: ‘It was during my interview that I finally realised subjecting myself to the judgment of an institution I fundamentally disagreed with was bizarre.

‘I spent my entire time at the university laughing at how seriously they were taking everything and felt like the only atheist in a gigantic monastery.’

Oxford students took to Twitter to vent their anger at Miss Nowell yesterday. One, going under the name ‘jpspencer2’, said: ‘Elly Nowell has no idea what it is like to go to Oxford. Her own stupid and narrow-minded opinions show why she would not be fit to go here.’

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2088710/Elly-Nowell-sends-Oxford-OWN-rejection-letter-criticising-grand-interview-setting.html#ixzz1jzhQo1ux

India looks to open university market, again: bill ready for parliament

• ·                                 From:The Australian 
• ·                                 December 28, 2011

INDIA has taken a significant step on the long march to admitting international universities with a parliamentary committee sending a new draft of the 2010 Foreign Universities bill to cabinet just before Christmas. Cabinet approved a much debated version of the original proposal in March 2010.

The legislation was left in a legislative no-mans land for months, due to parliamentary opposition and disquiet among local universities at the prospect of foreign competition.

The bill allows universities with 20 years good-standing in their home countries to set up shop on posting a bond

But even if the bill passes into law India will not become a free market in higher education, with a committee of academic experts deciding on which universities qualify for fast-tracking through the approval processes. And it will bring international institutions which now operate in India but award foreign qualifications under local regulations.

The legislation also requires reinvestment of any profit in the local campus.

However it allows twinning arrangements – suiting institutions keen to expand sources of international students at senior undergraduate level for their home campuses.

Critics of the proposal claim that high fee foreign schools will do nothing to increase access to higher education and that they will drain research and teaching talent away from Indian institutions.

While there is no national register, there are believed to be 160 international universities operating in India, nearly all of them from the US and UK.

In effect India is intent on a quick and economic expansion of the post school system  – without being overwhelmed by opportunists interested in a quick quid rather than course quality.

However the possibilities of the Indian market are still attracting interest among the major competitors in the international education industry. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed a US-India higher education summit in October and Australian higher education minister Chris Evans pitched for more Indian business in an August visit.

The challenge if, rather than when, the bill passes (it is still to be put to a vote on the floor of the Lok Sabha) is for institutions to get their administrative ducks in a row without being caught in interminable administrative process. Deakin Universityspent four years trying to set up an Indian research centre in Bagalore before giving up in the face of state and federal bureaucracy.

Nor will India be a low cost market to do business in. Education marketing expert Allison Doorbar warns Indian students studying with a western university in India will expect to see academics from the home campus at the front of the class.

Yesterday as I watched the innings of David Warner, I couldn’t help the thought that occurred after noticing the gaping Indian greats in the slips. Sachin in first slip, Dravid in second and VVS in the third… Sehwag was in Gully while Gambhir was also close by… it looked as an image of dedicated students sitting in first row of a classroom taking lessons from the master… Hence like a promotion for Australian Education… Indian students who have travelled across this month to study the out of form batsmen too return to form and …

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 21,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 8 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

The Hindu : News / National : Indian student’s murder to be treated as racially motivated.

déjà vu |ˌdāZHä ˈvo͞o|

noun

a feeling of having already experienced the present situation.

I read the reports of the killing of an innocent Indian student in UK with complete shock… As a counselor, we often advise students and parents as to how safe education overseas is, provided a student is also careful… However, in this particular case, it appears that there is nothing apparent that indicates that the student was at a “wrong place and at a wrong time”.

DNA and other media channels report…

The news of a Pune student’s senseless murder in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom (UK) on December 26, has shocked and stunned his family in Pune which is struggling to come to terms with the tragedy on multiple fronts.

According to reports from the UK, Anuj Bidve (23), an ex-student of the Sinhagad College of Engineering, was strolling along the footpath at Salford in Greater Manchester at 1.34 am on December 26, celebrating Christmas with his friends when two white boys got into a conversation with him and one of them allegedly shot him in the head and fled.

11282747.cms

I however find the news a little bothersome…. The media has jumped at pointing out that the killers are “white” and quotes the parents as stating that “We suspect Anuj is a victim of a racist attack.” I am 100% certain that this comment from the family must have been a result of the journalist asking the pointed question to the grieving family. What will the family state if it is being informed that the killers belong to a particular race. The investigation is in early stages at this state and hence the British Media ofcourse points this out in British defence…

On Tuesday, Ch Supt Kevin Mulligan said: “There is obviously speculation about why this young man was killed, but at this stage it would be wrong to rule anything out or comment on that speculation while the investigation is in its infancy.”

However, Times of India (who else!!!) point out…

The police have not ruled out racism as a motive for the killing.

By the time the investigation is completed and it is learnt otherwise, it does not matter… Public opinion is already influenced. Do a poll today and it will turn out that majority of the readers will assume that it is a hate-crime… This is the power of the media.

We will wait for the facts to emerge and what if it was a hate-crime indeed! Even if so, it doesn’t make all British as racist and this will not mean that every student going to UK to study will face the same conclusion…

I speak so with a feeling of déjà vu indeed. The Nitin Garg episode in Melbourne (two years ago) and the various media twists in 2009 to the various episodes of “mugging” instances in Victoria in Australia of that period should be studied closely by the British authorities when they address the repercussion. However there is one thing that is different… Indian TV is currently preoccupied with the Lokpal issue and Anna fast and then with the upcoming state-elections to play up the issue. Unlike in 2009 when they needed a story to feed the 24×7 TV machinery.

I am not suggesting that non-University degrees should not have got  PSW benefits. I have always asked for Australia sticking to the AQF for all provisions. My concern stems from what I blogged in my last despatch. Australia “craftily” changed the Knight recommendation on PSW and is possibly asking even Masters students to have studied “in Australia” for a “minimum of two academic years”. Now with the current exchange rate of Australian dollar, it is going to be such a huge task to put together funding for “top Universities” and for “2 years Masters”. Most Australian Masters are for 1 and 1.5 years and if PSW was offered to them “as was recommended”, it would have benefited all parties. I fear that now that non-Universities are also going to get PSW benefits, students will have no option but to prefer degrees run in the private sector as clearly the private sector has the cost advantage… I feel that this was never intended by Knight… Something is going wrong with the visa reforms. I would preferred that all offering degree and above to get PSW but would also want that “all Masters degree students irrespective of the duration” to get PSW benefits too… This would have been win-win for all.

SENATOR CHRIS EVANS
MINISTER FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION, SKILLS, JOBS AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

CHRIS BOWEN MP
MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP

MEDIA RELEASE

30 November 2011

GOVERNMENT EXTENDS SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Chris Evans, and the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, today announced more international students will be eligible for an extension of post-study work arrangements as part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to support the international education sector.

The Government recently announced post-study work arrangements for university graduates in response to the Knight Review of the Student Visa program.

“We are pleased to be extending post-study work arrangements to Bachelor or higher degree graduates from other education providers accredited to offer degree level programs, in addition to university graduates,” Mr Bowen said.

“Graduates who complete their degrees after at least two academic years’ study in Australia will be able to access post-study work arrangements from 2013, in time for students who are applying for their Student Visas now.”

Currently, more than 80 per cent of international students enrolled at the Bachelor degree level or above are eligible for the existing temporary skilled graduate visa, which provides an 18-month stay in Australia with work rights.

“These changes bring Australia into line with arrangements in other countries and enable education providers to offer a more competitive package to international students who are seeking good quality and long-term study in Australia, regardless of their field of interest,” Senator Evans said.

“The new arrangements extend the stay period to two years, while Masters by research or PhD students will be eligible for stays of three and four years respectively, reflecting the importance of the role of research in fostering innovation in the Australian economy.”

For students who obtain qualifications other than a Bachelor degree or above, the existing temporary skilled graduate visa, which provides for a stay of 18 months for those with qualifications in eligible fields of study, will still be available.

Information on the Knight Review can be found at: www.immi.gov.au/students/knight/