Australia increases protection for international students

By Ray Clancy. International students studying in Australia are now better protected under the government’s Tuition Protection Service (TPS), according to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Chris Evans.
He said that the TPS would reform the sector by providing increased protection and ensuring international students continue to view Australia as a great place to study.
‘We want to ensure Australia remains a first class destination for international students to gain a quality education and a positive student experience,’ he said.
‘International education is a major industry for Australia, generating around $15.7 billion in 2011 and estimated to support around 125,000 jobs. The government’s new protection service is good news for education providers and good news for students,’ he added.
The TPS is a single mechanism to place students with alternative providers in the case of an education service closure, or, as a last resort, to provide refunds of unexpended course fees.
‘The enhanced TPS will strengthen what is already the world’s most rigorous protection scheme. It will deliver a timely service, more choice and control for students, one set of fees for providers and will ensure greater accountability for government,’ explained Evans.
The new director of the TPS is Vipan Mahajan who has a long career in the Australian Public Service, most recently in senior management in international education in the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.
The TPS is the final chapter in the government’s response to the Baird Review. The TPS Advisory Board will be appointed to develop recommendations on the risk levy to be paid by registered providers in 2013.