Frequent attacks on foreign students, including Indians, in Australia could lead to an "enduring diplomatic irritant" in Australia's "bilateral relationships" and "destroy" its $12 billion international education sector, a major think-tank warned today.
New Delhi and Beijing are "increasingly assertive" in advocating the welfare of ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities overseas when they are under attack, The Lowy Institute said.
"The plight of Chinese or Indian students in Australia could translate into an enduring diplomatic irritant if not resolved quickly," the international policy think tank based in Sydney said in a study.
Indians and Chinese constitute about 40 per cent of the international student population in Australia. Nearly 95,000 Indian students are studying in Australia.
At least 25 Indian students have been attacked in past three months, following which India raised concerns and the issue was also taken up by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna during his visit to Australia this month.
"The roots of this problem need to be addressed or it will worsen," the think-tank said.
Australia's education sector, the country's third largest export market, faces threat from some unscrupulous operators who are damaging its reputation.
The issue has the potential to contaminate some of Australia's most important diplomatic relationships, including those with India and China, it warned.
"As the recent attacks on India students demonstrate, media attention to such incidents can inform broader perceptions overseas about Australian society," it said.
"Students who return to their countries with negative experiences could become a poisoned alumni, conveying critical attitude in other counties about Australian society and poor impressions about Australia's education provider," Institute's executive director Michael Wesley said in the study, adding "they could ultimately destroy a strong export product."
Wesley said the problems in the Australia's international education would persist unless the governments and education providers act to address the entire chain of causation.
"Education institutions need to be subjected to much greater oversight of quality, affordability, value for money, and provision of student welfare," he suggested, adding the inequality of treatment between domestic and foreign students should also be addressed.
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