After 10 years of negotiations, a bilateral trade agreement between China and Australia will extend the number of Australia’s private HE institutions featured on the Chinese government’s JSJ (Jiaoyu Shewai Jianguan Xinxi Wang) or “white list” of quasi-approved institutions where currently only public universities, TAFEs and one private provider are listed.
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FTA adds 77 more private Australian providers on China’s ‘white list’
Chinese students at Sydney’s TOP Education Institute, currently the only Australian private HE provider listed on China's white list, but soon to be joined by 77 other private providers. Photo: TOP Education Institute. Sydney’s TOP Education Institute is the only private provider on the white list, but new terms of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) mean that all 77 CRICOS-registered private universities and colleges will be added to the existing 105 institutions within a year.
Throughout 2014 the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) has led a delegation on trade missions with China’s MoE in Beijing and Canberra, and for a decade has lobbied for a more level playing field for Australian education providers in China.
Speaking with The PIE News ACPET CEO Rod Camm congratulated the Commonwealth Government on signing an FTA with the Chinese government.
“The addition of private providers to the JSJ will hopefully show signs of stronger growth for the sector and encourage Australian institutions to operate off-shore in China”
“The addition of private providers to the JSJ will hopefully show signs of stronger growth for the sector and encourage Australian institutions to operate off-shore in China,” he said.
The JSJ, established in 2003, contains information on approved education agents for self-funded Chinese students studying abroad and overseas education providers as well as updates on law, regulations and policies around international education.
In 2013, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) claimed that 88% of incoming Chinese students selected institutions appearing on the white list.
Explaining Australia’s inability to get its private institutions listed, Camm pointed to issues around the tightening of student visa restrictions, changes in the permanent migration criteria and the closure of some high profile private colleges.
Phil Honeywood National Executive Director at International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) told The PIE News the enhanced white list will lead to “heightened interest” from Chinese students, particularly those on limited tuition fee budgets.
However Honeywood added that current limitations on the tuition fees Australian providers charge appear to be unchanged for the time being.
“ACPET would like to see the opportunity for quality private VET providers to receive JSJ listing”
Camm cited the exclusion of CRICOS-registered VET providers from the list as another limitation to the deal’s terms.
He added that ACPET would welcome “a process that would identify quality opposed to just a listing without any examination”.
“A number of these ACPET institutions have successfully operated in China for a number of years and receive a high volume of Chinese students to Australia,” he said.
“In addition we now have the Tuition Protection Scheme run by the Australian Government and ACPET members having to abide by a code of ethics. This should go some way to provide comfort of quality to the Chinese Government.”
Chinese students account for some 30% of all international students across the sectors in Australia.
As it stands there is no process for providers to apply directly to be included on the JSJ list. However Camm confirmed that providers can make a representation to their local Chinese embassy or consulate, or contact their sector peak body for further information on the JSJ.
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