Four Corners and the debate about universites that we should be having.

Four Corners last night was an interesting, and important, look into quality standards at Australian universities.  And it had evidence of some areas of real issues, and examples of incidents where quality standards are not being properly applied.  It draws in the issue of the increasing casualization of the academic workforce (which is a huge and growing issue).  It also addressed issues of English language proficiency.

However, while I agree that these issues are worthy of attention, this was not a balanced approach to the story.  The overriding message of the story is that international students are ‘weak students’.  This is not necessarily true, and belies a xenophopic attitude rather than an academic one.  The reliance on anecdotal evidence within the program was troubling, and while there was some research discussed, there is far more significant research available that was not discussed. 

It was most disappointing that the Vice Chancellors of the universities involved in the program declined the opportunity to be interviewed, and I think this a missed opportunity for them to actively participate in a discussion about what universities are and what we want them to be.  (And on that point - where was the input from English Australia, IEAA and Universities Australia?  A big fail on the part of 4 Corners there.)

Because, essentially this is the question.  Universities are no longer the elite towers they were in the past.  Access is available to far more domestic students that previously.  This does not need to mean a drop in standards, but it does require a new approach to pedagogy, time frames and approaches to teaching and learning.  The same applies for international students.  Academics who wish to continue to “do things as they used to” will no doubt be left behind in the shift.  Unfortunately, however, we have not had a community conversation or debate about how universities have changed, and are changing, and what that means for their place in our society.  I think that is a far more useful conversation to be having, rather than hearing more whinging about international students.

As an aside, at an event last week with sponsors and sponsored students, we discussed the benefits that the Introductory Academic Program (IAP) gives to Australia Awards students when they arrive in Australia.  This program has only reinforced my view (and the view of many at the Sponsored Student SIG Forum last week) that the IAP should be offered to all sponsored students and perhaps all international students.  As usual, it comes down to who pays…