'Baird' Review of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act

About the Review

The  Hon Bruce Baird is reviewing the Education Services for Overseas Students  (ESOS) Act 2000 and he has called for feedback on Australia’s  international education sector to feed into the process that will help to  further enhance both the quality of education and protection of international  students in Australia.

An issues paper for the Review of the ESOS Act 2000 has been released. It outlines the main issues review aims to address.

Submissions in response to the issues paper are invited by Friday 30 October 2009. Responses can be submitted via email to the review secretariat at esosreview@deewr.gov.au or via an online forum accessible at www.aei.gov.au. 

Feedback can also be provided via email submission or an online forum accessible at www.aei.gov.au/esosreview until 30 October.

Consultation Forums for Students and Providers

There are also student and provider consultation forums taking place from Tuesday October 20th.  Consultation forum details are below:

Melbourne - 20 October    
Tasmania - 21 October    
Sydney - 23 October    
Canberra - 2 November    
Brisbane - 4 November    
Adelaide - 5 November    
Perth - 6 November 

If students would like to attend a forum they should email  esosreview@deewr.gov.au

You will need to provide your name, university you are attending, country of origin (if an international student) and your current student representative position.

If providers would like to attend a forum  they should fill in the attached nomination form and email it back to  esosreview@deewr.gov.au

DEEWR asks that nominations for the forums be  sent by COB Friday 16 October.  

CAPA's response to the Review 

In responding to the Issues Paper, CAPA intends to focus on the standards listed in the Part D of the National Code:

Standard 1 Marketing Information and Practices
Standard 2 Student Engagement Before Enrolment
Standard 3 Formalisation of Enrolment
Standard 4 Education Agents
Standard 5 Younger Overseas Students
Standard 6 Student Support Services
Standard 7 Transfer Between Registered Providers
Standard 8 Complaints and Appeals
Standard 9 Completion Within Expected Duration
Standard 10 Monitoring Course Progress
Standard 11 Monitoring Attendance
Standard 12 Course Credit
Standard 13 Deferment, Suspension or Cancellation of Study During Enrolment
Standard 14 Staff Capability, Educational Resources and Premises
Standard 15 Changes to Registered Providers’ Ownership or Management

Suggestions and feedback on these and related issues are welcome, and will help inform CAPA's submission to the Review.   Additional feedback is also invited in response to CAPA's previous submission to the Senate Inquiry into International Student Welfare (available via the links below). Please forward details to katya[a]capa.edu.au.

About the ESOS Act

The ESOS Acts and Regulations set out the legal framework for the delivery of education to overseas students. The act governs:

* Which providers may be registered
* The CRICOS registration process
* Obligations of providers
* Tuition assurance and consumer protection mechanisms
* Enforcement and compliance powers
* Charges providers pay to enrol overseas students.

Further information on the Review of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 can be found via the related links below.