Is the government planning removal of Business, Management, and Marketing Courses for CRICOS?

Is the government planning removal of Business, Management, and Marketing Courses for CRICOS?

In December 2023, during his speech at the Edusummit in Sydney, Julian Hill MP announced a significant policy shift: the Australian government is planning to reduce the number of international students enrolled in Business, Management, and Marketing courses. This revelation has sparked intense debate and speculation within the education sector, particularly concerning how this change will be implemented.

The Australian government has been making numerous changes to the education industry, aiming to enhance the quality and global competitiveness of its institutions. However, the decision to target these specific courses, often labeled as “mickey mouse” by some government representatives, raises several critical questions.

Possible Implementation Strategy:

• Course Removal from VET Scope: One potential approach could be to remove Business, Management, and Marketing courses from the Vocational Education and Training (VET) scope. This would effectively limit the availability of these courses to international students, directing them towards other areas of study deemed more rigorous or beneficial to Australia’s economic goals.
• Registration for Domestic Students Only: Another possibility is changing the registration criteria for these courses, making them available exclusively to domestic students. This would drastically reduce international enrolments while preserving the courses for Australian students.

Impact on the Education Industry:

• International Education Market: The international education market is currently in a state of great turmoil. Any major policy changes, such as reducing international student numbers in popular courses, could exacerbate this instability. Institutions relying heavily on revenue from international students might face financial challenges, leading to broader repercussions for the sector.
• Quality Perception and Global Standing: The perception of Australian education quality and its global standing could be affected. If these courses are seen as less valuable or rigorous, it may impact Australia’s reputation as a preferred destination for higher education.

Open Questions

The announcement leaves several critical questions unanswered:

• How will the government enforce these changes, and what criteria will they use to determine which courses are affected?
• What support will be provided to educational institutions and students impacted by this shift?
• How will these changes align with the broader objectives of Australian education policy?

Conclusion

As the Australian government implements these changes, the education industry, particularly the international education market, is getting disrupted to no end. It remains to be seen whether the government will follow through on these proposals and how they will balance the need for reform with the interests of international students and educational institutions.

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