David Jennings,
You seem to have the idea that imports are good because they free up money for exports.

Unfortunately, we have a massive trade deficit, so your theory doesn’t work very well in reality.

Why are foreign necessary for so called Australian universities to exist?

Perhaps it is because the so called Australian universities have not been abler to generate sufficient industry and sufficient wealth inside the country to run the so called Australian universities. Any research they have carried out has not been converted into profitable industry, and they now rely on foreign students as a cash cow (like they have relied on the taxpayer as a cash cow for many years)

Also, can universities depend on foreign students for very long?

Not according to this:

“Professor King, Monash University's pro vice-chancellor for research and research training, said the Asian countries that Australia relied on for hard sciences graduates were ramping up their own universities and would need to staff them locally.”’

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/declining-numeracy-is-shaping-our-future/story-e6frgcjx-1225841552704

The bubble will shortly burst for the trade in training foreign students, and universities will have to go back to doing the hard yards (however irksome that may be for the academics in those universities).

"Ms. Chau is not my equal as an Australian (if she is an Australian)."

Again that is a sad and sorry perspective. Its not one that accords with democracy and the fundamental presumption that all citizens are equal. I regard Ms Chau as my equal as an Australian and as your equal as well.

Finding Germaine Greer annoying does not translate into it not being ok for her to have an opinion. Ask Louis Nowra. Ditto Abbott.

"Stern Hu typifies an “Australian of convenience”."

Another example of playing the man not the ball. Stern Hu's citizenship is the equal of yours and mine.

As I said before, I'm comfortable with my heritage and national identity. I just don't think it gives me superiority over anybody else. My thoughts are that anybody who tries to suggest that others are inferior on the basis of their race, nationality, national origin etc is a person who is themselves deeply insecure and more or less compensating for some major personality flaw or low level of achievement. I prefer to support an inclusive national identity. Sharing is caring!

"And, there is no way our Sinophile PM is going to do anything to help." Not true.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/world-is-watching-the-stern-hu-rio-tinto-trial-rudd-warns-china/story-e6frgczf-1225842280495

You are playing the man (or woman in this case) because after four posts you still have not engaged with the substantive issues Wesa Chau raises.

Vanna, I didn't say that imports free up money for exports. You seem to not understand the basics of macroeconomics. The funding problem facing universities is a result of government policy. Tiffen's article explains the problem.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/shocks-in-store-for-time-travel-uni-student-20100317-qfky.html

The education that universities provide is a public good. Universities are not meant to be run as businesses. It just isn't a question of profit or loss. If you think that academics aren't doing the hard yards then you clearly don't work at a university.
Have a read of Melissa Gregg's piece:
http://newmatilda.com/2009/11/24/academia-no-longer-smart-choice

David said....

"But textbooks ... could you be more out of touch with academia? Every lecturer prescribes their own book. Most of which are published in Australia by the Australian arm of whichever publishing company they've signed with."

What a load of absolute rubbish. Sure most lecturers would like to prescribe their own text, if they had one, but I find it hard to believe most have a text published.
In the degrees I have studied at least 95% of recommended texts are by foreign authors and published OS. In my most recent degree over 6 years of study I purchased well over 100 books and only 2 of those were by our lecturers. One of these two would more appropriately be termed a series of lecture notes with ring binding rather than a text. Most of the texts used were international best sellers in their field that medical students would use in many, many other countries. These include Harrison's Internal Medicine (USA), Moore's Clinically oriented Anatomy (USA), Rubin and Farber Pathology (USA), Katzung Pharmacology (USA), Last's Anatomy (UK), Kaplan Synopsis of Psychiatry (USA), Clemente Anatomy (Germany). The list goes on and on and on with International texts, used in hundreds of medical schools across the world.
Also to state that MOST of these texts are published here in Australia is absolutely ridiculous

Cont

In most cases its simply a matter of being uneconomical. To suggest that each lecturer in each uni uses their own text would clearly not be viable. According to David, each 1st year Maths Uni student would be using their own lecturer's text. That would mean a few hundred students would be purchasing a book with a print run the same size. Likewise in the Uni 20km away another few hundred 1st years Maths students are using their lecturer's text with a print run of a few hundred. The costs would be astronomical. Imagine a lecturer putting in the effort it requires to publish a text to sell just a few hundred. The publishing costs are huge. The following year many 2nd year students just on sell their book to the new 1st years. The international texts I have mentioned are published and sold by the tens thousands all over the world.
Walk into any Uni bookshop across the country and you will generally find the same texts. There certainly are a few local books for highly specialized subjects, but these are by far the exception rather than the rule.

David's statement is pure ignorance.

Well, it looks like those gangs who bashed and robbed the Indian students have, unknowingly and inadvertantly, done Aus a favour, by shining a strong spotlight on the whole foreign students 'industry'. Who would have thunk it?

There is not many things I agree with this government on, but if they put an end to the 'mickey mouse' courses and the rorts to gain permanent residency by the students, well and good.

The author certainly has a vested interest in promoting the cause of foreign students but I think the figures quoted for the value of the 'industry' to our economy is grossly exagerated. Me thinks its a figure plucked from the air.

Dispite those arguing to the contrary, I cannot help feeling that Aussie students are missing out in all this. Our Unis were built with our taxpayers money supposedly for Aussie students and maybe to give some students from neighbouring countries, like NG and the pacific Islands, a helping hand. Since when did we agree that our Unis should be run to extract money from and for the benefit of foreign students.

In relation to the private colleges and the students that have paid for uncompleted courses, well stiff cheddar. Its the same as any customer that has paid for goods and services from a business that goes belly up. If they can get some recourse from the sale of assets good on them, if not bad luck. Our government has no authority to compensate the students with taxpayers funds. Many businesses have to have approval or licences to operate, but that does not make the taxpayer liable if the doors close.

All in all, the 'industry' needs a good shake up and the immigration rorts must stop. I fear the government has not yet gone far enough and I hope to see a lot less foreign students in future.

Ozzie is a tool