These laws require institutions to provide education to international students to nationally consistent standards in the delivery of high quality education, facilities and services. The legislation enables the Australian government to monitor education providers to ensure that the highest quality of education is delivered to international students. The ESOS legislation also provides tuition and financial assurances in the event an education institution is unable to meet its commitments.
In 2010, there was a further strengthening of these laws with the Baird Report which reviewed the ESOS legislations. A stronger simpler smarter ESOS: supporting international students was handed down with recommendations to strengthen the legislation to better protect international students.
The final report of the Baird review makes a series of recommendations:
- More support for international students and improved information
- Stronger consumer protection mechanisms to ensure students are protected from unscrupulous operators
- Improved regulation of the Australian international education sector
- Improved support for those who study and live in Australia including having somewhere to go when problems arise.
For further information on the ESOS legislations and the Baird report, please visit www.aei.gov.au