Australians are ambivalent about Oz Universities and China Connections (Sources)
A new survey (UTS survey) is very bad news for the push to bring international students from China back post COVID-19.
The survey finds:
- 48 percent of the sample agree that “Australian university ties with China compromise Australian freedom of speech” and 81 percent think unis are “too financially reliant” on students from China.
- Australians evenly divide (40 percent agree, 41 percent don’t) that international students from China “are potentially reducing the quality of education at Australian universities.”
- 42 percent think students from China, “mean there are less places for domestic students to study in their choice of Australian university.”
- 58 percent agree they “help strengthen the people-to-people links between the two countries.”
- 76 percent recognise the economic benefits that flow from students from China on campus.
- Half of survey participants were either opposed (28 percent) or indifferent (26 percent) to students returning being a post-COVID 19 priority.
- Two thirds think they are “beneficial” but just 48 per cent think they make Australia “more competitive internationally.”