Australia's segregated universities

From The Age:

Backlash feared over uni students' cultural divide

Sushi Das
July 23, 2008

A WIDENING gulf between international and local students has prompted warnings of resentment and a backlash on Australian university campuses, as overseas student numbers continue to grow.

The warnings come amid increasing concern over "fragility" in the sector arising from its dependence on international students. On average, universities derive 15% of their funding from overseas-student fees.

One of Australia's leading higher-education experts warns that despite the atmosphere on campuses generally supporting international students, there is "informal but real segregation" that could fuel tensions.

Claims of a divide have been backed up by student representatives.

Local students tended to work off campus and were not active in student life, while international students spent most of their time on campus, generally in the library, Professor Simon Marginson, of Melbourne University's Centre for Higher Education, told The Age.

"So you've got this odd situation with the local students half disengaged in a way I've never really seen before," he said.

"The international-student industry runs off the back of a reasonably strong local system which presumes a healthy relationship with the local students … all of that has become the marketing pitch.

"That's the flashpoint that worries me more than any other - that it could spring back into resentment."

National Union of Students president Angus McFarland said students were concerned about a lack of interaction.

Vice-chancellors had discussed with him how "cultural cliques" and "religious ghettos" could be overcome, Mr McFarland said.

Segregation was apparent in classrooms, with group discussions and teamwork being affected by the two camps tending to stick within their familiar groups, he said.

Mixing between groups in the classroom sometimes prompted complaints from both sides: international students complained they were being marginalised, while domestic students said poor language skills were adversely affecting group progress, he said.

Student associations - underfunded because of voluntary student unionism - could no longer afford to organise sufficient events to encourage social and cultural mixing.

Professor Marginson said local disengagement was not being tackled and international students were not being made use of as a bridge to Asia.

"We're not helping local students become more Asia-focused and more competent culturally. I think it's a real tension … there's no sign that backlash or resentment is occurring, but I think there's potential for that. It's a bit scary."

Professor Marginson said internationalisation of higher education was supposed to enrich universities by helping staff, students and institutions create strong cultural and intellectual links with other countries, as well as bring in much-needed revenue. But it did not appear to be meeting its aim.

Cuts in federal funding have forced universities to seek revenue from other sources, including international students. Meanwhile, growth in domestic students has slowed, while international student numbers have rocketed to 370,000.

International education is a $12.5 billion industry. In 2006, 65% of overseas students were from Asia.

Eric Pang, president of the National Liaison Committee for International Students in Australia, said international students were not provided with a strong welfare system and were forced to rely on their peers for help and support, yet at the same time they were being accused of failing to integrate.

He said many overseas students had told the committee: "There's not much international students can learn from Australia in terms of culture or … English. After all, the standard of English of Australian students isn't high."

Professor Richard Larkins, chairman of the peak universities body Universities Australia, said despite a recent slowdown in the growth of foreign enrolment, "there is fragility about our sector in relation to its high dependence on income from international students".

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