AUSTRALIA: Universities put revenue before standards

The state of Victoria's ombudsman has uncovered worrying evidence that universities have been putting the need for student fee revenue ahead of the ability of students to complete their courses, apparently enrolling students with too-poor English skills, writes Andrew Trounsen for The Australian. But universities have rejected the criticism.

An ombudsman report warned that bribery and attempted bribery by students, including an instance where a student offered sexual favours, may be a bigger problem than the sector accepts. It adds fuel to repeated anecdotal complaints from academics that they come under pressure to drop standards for under-prepared international students to ensure they pass.
Full report on The Australian site

But universities have criticised Victoria's ombudsman's reliance on "anecdotal" and unrepresentative evidence, writes Andrew Trounson for The Australian in another article. The four universities involved in the ombudsman's investigation - Deakin University, RMIT University, Swinburne University and University of Ballarat - have rejected the suggestion that standards have been compromised by revenue concerns.
Full report on The Australian site