The Wire

Australian universities are dumbing down their standards in a bid to survive in an age where they must compete as corporations for funding and students. That’s according to a Four Corners report that will air tonight on the ABC. The report also suggest an over reliance on fee paying overseas students, who provide a great deal of funding to Australia universities. government funding for higher education in Australia has declined by 6 percent since 1996. Because of the sensitive nature of the idea of dropping standards, many academics are unwilling to discuss the issue. However some who are willing to talk believe light needs to be shed on the problem, which they claim could damage Australia’s reputation as an international education provider, as well as fundamentally change the nature of education provision in Australia. Dr Simon Cooper, is a lecturer in Communications as Monash University. He says it’s very difficult to prove that Australia’s academic standards may be slipping.