Via The Australian:
University of Queensland chancellor Peter Varghese has urged Australian universities to prepare for a possible Chinese government curb on international students by directing the profits they earn from Chinese students into a future fund and not use them for immediate needs.
Mr Varghese, who as head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was Australia’s chief diplomat until two years ago, warned that universities would suffer if China decided to use its students as an economic lever against Australia.
Speaking at the National Conference on University Governance in Adelaide, he said universities should also reduce risk by diversifying student source markets, particularly to India and Indonesia.
Nevertheless, Mr Varghese urged universities not to voluntarily restrict the still-buoyant Chinese student market because, in the absence of political factors, Chinese demand was “more likely than not” to remain strong.
What an excellent idea. Shame we never thought of it for the entire economy…
