Australian edu firm was in city last week
Two weeks before its four colleges in Australia collapsed, officials of Global Campus Management conducted a seminar in Ahmedabad to recruit students and agents
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, November 10, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009111020091110031708437ddf2a897)
Four international colleges in Australia suddenly wound up, putting in jeopardy the future of 2,700 shell-shocked students, including hundreds from Gujarat last week.
What is more shocking is the company that runs the four colleges — the Global Campus Management/Meridian Group — held a seminar in Ahmedabad two weeks ago to recruit students and agents.
The meeting was conducted at Hotel Pride in Judges Bungalow on October 26. Officials of the firm encouraged students to join the colleges, located at 13 campuses in Melbourne and Sydney, offering courses in hospitality, design, English language, fashion and secondary education.
They also urged agents to send across their clients to them. The firm held several such meetings across the country, and there is a strong possibility that students must have registered themselves for admission to the colleges.
On November 7, however, Global Campus Management (GCM) went into voluntary administration, and its administrator said it is unlikely the group will reopen the schools.
Bogus OZ colleges raise concern
The collapse of educational institutes in Australia had not only put a question mark on its reputation, but also raised questions about the lack of checks and safeguards against fraud institutions.
To address the issue, a voluntary body — Federation of Foreign Education Consultants in India — was formed recently. Its aim is to assure that its members (agents) provide students with accurate and realistic counselling.
FFECI will monitor the activities of its members and also create professional and ethical guidelines for members.
FFECI secretary Raghuvir Singh Kushwaha said, “The collapse of the four institutes prompted us to send emails to the Ministry of Oversease Affairs and the Australian government, asking them a few questions.”
The body wants the following queries to be addressed:
• So far, 12 colleges have shut down in Australia this year. Only 200-300 students were registered at eight colleges, but the four that collapsed last week had over 2,500 students. The Australian government plans to transfer displaced students to other colleges. How will they accommodate thousands of students in their existing set-up?
• What about the refund of fees? Will this include the lakhs of rupees that the students have spent to get their visas?
• What about students who have got their visas but have not enrolled in these institutions yet?
• What is the Indian government doing to keep a tab on foreign colleges? Is there any system to safeguard our children from fraud institutions?
• The government should fix a criteria based on the infrastructure, faculty and other facilities that the colleges offer. Students can crosscheck the list, before applying for admission.
• The Australian government should declare list of ‘high-risk’ colleges and also make a contingency plan in case more colleges collapse, leaving students stranded.
Kushwaha added the organisation had sent the email on Saturday and are still awaiting a reply.
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, November 10, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009111020091110031708437ddf2a897)
Four international colleges in Australia suddenly wound up, putting in jeopardy the future of 2,700 shell-shocked students, including hundreds from Gujarat last week.
What is more shocking is the company that runs the four colleges — the Global Campus Management/Meridian Group — held a seminar in Ahmedabad two weeks ago to recruit students and agents.
The meeting was conducted at Hotel Pride in Judges Bungalow on October 26. Officials of the firm encouraged students to join the colleges, located at 13 campuses in Melbourne and Sydney, offering courses in hospitality, design, English language, fashion and secondary education.
They also urged agents to send across their clients to them. The firm held several such meetings across the country, and there is a strong possibility that students must have registered themselves for admission to the colleges.
On November 7, however, Global Campus Management (GCM) went into voluntary administration, and its administrator said it is unlikely the group will reopen the schools.
Bogus OZ colleges raise concern
The collapse of educational institutes in Australia had not only put a question mark on its reputation, but also raised questions about the lack of checks and safeguards against fraud institutions.
To address the issue, a voluntary body — Federation of Foreign Education Consultants in India — was formed recently. Its aim is to assure that its members (agents) provide students with accurate and realistic counselling.
FFECI will monitor the activities of its members and also create professional and ethical guidelines for members.
FFECI secretary Raghuvir Singh Kushwaha said, “The collapse of the four institutes prompted us to send emails to the Ministry of Oversease Affairs and the Australian government, asking them a few questions.”
The body wants the following queries to be addressed:
• So far, 12 colleges have shut down in Australia this year. Only 200-300 students were registered at eight colleges, but the four that collapsed last week had over 2,500 students. The Australian government plans to transfer displaced students to other colleges. How will they accommodate thousands of students in their existing set-up?
• What about the refund of fees? Will this include the lakhs of rupees that the students have spent to get their visas?
• What about students who have got their visas but have not enrolled in these institutions yet?
• What is the Indian government doing to keep a tab on foreign colleges? Is there any system to safeguard our children from fraud institutions?
• The government should fix a criteria based on the infrastructure, faculty and other facilities that the colleges offer. Students can crosscheck the list, before applying for admission.
• The Australian government should declare list of ‘high-risk’ colleges and also make a contingency plan in case more colleges collapse, leaving students stranded.
Kushwaha added the organisation had sent the email on Saturday and are still awaiting a reply.
