<p>The drop in enrolments of foreign students have prompted leading universities across Australia to draw the attention of the federal government to the issue.<br />The enrolments of foreign students dropped significantly in Australia due to series of factors including new immigration rules, a higher dollar value and attacks on Indian students.<br /><br />"What's brewing here is deep frustration among universities that recent government policy changes are fuelling the drop-off in foreign students," eminent commentator Horst Albert Glaser, emeritus professor at Germany's University of Duisburg-Essen, was quoted as saying by 'The Age'.<br /><br />In an attempt to stamp out visa rorting, and weaken the link between immigration and education, the federal government last year introduced more stringent rules governing student visas, and tightened immigration regulations.<br />This, the report said, has led to a slowdown in the rate of foreign students starting courses.<br /><br />It is believed that Australian universities relied on the international student market for an average 16 per cent of their total funding, and used much of that revenue to cross-subsidise local students.<br /><br />"If the university sector ends up in financial crisis it is taxpayers who will be bailing them out," Stephen King, dean of the business and economics faculty at Monash, said.<br /><br />According to Melbourne University's higher education expert, Simon Marginson, the downturn was primarily due to immigration policy changes, not due to drop in demand.<br />"This export industry cannot be expected to grow forever. And the long-term quality and reputation of Australian international education, including its commercial capacity, depends on the resources we put into it," he said.<br /><br />Melbourne University education economist Ross Williams said the damage to universities will have a cascading effect on the economy as rental markets will be affected and so will ancillary services such as cafes around universities.<br /><br />The trends were threatening a number of Universities which hitherto relied on foreign students for a substantial sum of revenue.<br />The likes of Central Queensland University which relied on foreign students for 44 per cent of total revenue, Monash University, Melbourne University, La Trobe University and many others now in a vulnerable position.</p>
<p>The drop in enrolments of foreign students have prompted leading universities across Australia to draw the attention of the federal government to the issue.<br />The enrolments of foreign students dropped significantly in Australia due to series of factors including new immigration rules, a higher dollar value and attacks on Indian students.<br /><br />"What's brewing here is deep frustration among universities that recent government policy changes are fuelling the drop-off in foreign students," eminent commentator Horst Albert Glaser, emeritus professor at Germany's University of Duisburg-Essen, was quoted as saying by 'The Age'.<br /><br />In an attempt to stamp out visa rorting, and weaken the link between immigration and education, the federal government last year introduced more stringent rules governing student visas, and tightened immigration regulations.<br />This, the report said, has led to a slowdown in the rate of foreign students starting courses.<br /><br />It is believed that Australian universities relied on the international student market for an average 16 per cent of their total funding, and used much of that revenue to cross-subsidise local students.<br /><br />"If the university sector ends up in financial crisis it is taxpayers who will be bailing them out," Stephen King, dean of the business and economics faculty at Monash, said.<br /><br />According to Melbourne University's higher education expert, Simon Marginson, the downturn was primarily due to immigration policy changes, not due to drop in demand.<br />"This export industry cannot be expected to grow forever. And the long-term quality and reputation of Australian international education, including its commercial capacity, depends on the resources we put into it," he said.<br /><br />Melbourne University education economist Ross Williams said the damage to universities will have a cascading effect on the economy as rental markets will be affected and so will ancillary services such as cafes around universities.<br /><br />The trends were threatening a number of Universities which hitherto relied on foreign students for a substantial sum of revenue.<br />The likes of Central Queensland University which relied on foreign students for 44 per cent of total revenue, Monash University, Melbourne University, La Trobe University and many others now in a vulnerable position.</p>