Via Domain:
Australian government officials are negotiating with Chinese authorities to relax its internet firewall to give international students access to online and video teaching from Australian universities.
With Australia’s international student market facing a potential $8 billion hit, Education Minister Dan Tehan and Trade Minister Simon Birmingham dialled into a meeting of the Council for International Education’s global reputation taskforce before addressing the board of Universities Australia on Monday.
The taskforce was established to monitor and advise the government and $39 billion industry on the impact of the virus and bushfires. Chair of the taskforce Phil Honeywood said Australian officials were negotiating with the Chinese government to try to relax restrictions on online and video teaching.
“Information we have received from our government offices in China indicates there is scope for more flexibility,” Mr Honeywood said.
They better be careful what they wish for. If it caught on then there goes Chinese students’ real economic contribution out the window, so to speak.
No more apartments.
