According to The Australian, the Chinese Ministry of Education says Australia’s private colleges, even if they are properly accredited by local authorities, are “unstable and risky.”

“Students should be cautious and [...]]]> The Chinese government has taken the unusual step of issuing a public warning for students to stay away from private colleges in Australia.

According to The Australian, the Chinese Ministry of Education says Australia’s private colleges, even if they are properly accredited by local authorities, are “unstable and risky.”

“Students should be cautious and not choose education providers that mainly enrol international students under a short-term business model based upon education as export,” the Education Ministry said in the widely distributed alert.

Thousands of private and for-profit Australian colleges have sprung up in recent years hoping to cash in on the country’s $AUD 17 billion education industry.

But the marketisation of the higher education system has damaged Australia’s international reputation as several high profile for-profit operations have collapsed, leaving students high and dry.