A recent article in the Globe and Mail newspaper highlights how some Canadian institutions, facing budgetary constraints, have [...]]]> The US Congress has been investigating the unethical recruitment of students by many private for-profit institutions. In Canada, the spotlight is now being shone on the international student recruitment practices of our public universities and colleges.

A recent article in the Globe and Mail newspaper highlights how some Canadian institutions, facing budgetary constraints, have outsourced international student recruitment to private agencies. Foremost among these is Aoji Education Group, a Beijing-based company that says it sends 10,000 Chinese students a year to Canada, Australia, the UK, and the US.

Universities and colleges pay Aoji a commission equal to 10% of the tuition fees charged a student. That creates a built-in incentive for headhunters to sign up as many students as they can find, even if they don’t fully meet admission requirements. The result is that parents are often sold a bill of goods, thinking their children are bound for a university classroom when in fact they end up in non-credit English-language courses. Some families have spent as much as $20,000 without having 1 university-level credit to show for it.

A former Aoji employee put it bluntly: “The students think they’re signing a deal with the university. They’re not. They’re signing a deal with an entrepreneur who signed a deal with the university.”

A final footnote to this: Aoji is now recruiting for Fraser International College and the International College of Manitoba, the Navitas-run private colleges affiliated with Simon Fraser University and the University of Manitoba.

In January 2010, Australia-based Navitas sealed its first U.S. deal, a 10-year contract with Western Kentucky University.  Since then,  the company has signed three more  agreements – with the Universities of [...]]]> Inside Higher Ed reports that U.S. colleges are increasingly turning to for-profit pathway programs for international students in a bid to boost revenues.

In January 2010, Australia-based Navitas sealed its first U.S. deal, a 10-year contract with Western Kentucky University.  Since then,  the company has signed three more  agreements – with the Universities of Massachusetts at Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell.

Students entering the Navitas program at Western Kentucky will need deep pockets.  According to the fee schedule, the costs are over $22,000 for three semesters, plus a mandatory $1,000 medical insurance charge. The pre-master’s program is nearly $10,000 and runs just one semester.

With the U.S. recession clobbering college finances, other for-profit pathway providers are swooping down upon campuses across the country with promises of bountiful new revenue streams from full fee-paying international students. Study Group International, recently purchased by a U.S. private equity firm, is setting up programs at Dean and Fisher Colleges, and Madison University. Meanwhile, Kaplan International which already runs a “Global Pathways Program” at Northeastern University opened its second program earlier this year at the University of Utah.  And UK-based INTO has signed long-term contracts with Oregon State University and the University of South Florida.

INTO’s joint ventures with Oregon State and South Florida generated headlines earlier this year when the Commission on English Language Accreditation initially revoked the accreditation of the two universities’ English language institutes after they were taken over by INTO.

Ironically, the rising number of private pathways programs comes at a time when the U.S. Congress is looking at new rules to reign in the more questionable practices of many for-profit colleges. Surely it’s time to shine a similar light on Navitas, Study Group, Kaplan and INTO?

Earlier this year, Navitas, the Australian private education provider announced two new partnerships with UK higher education institutions, including Portsmouth and Plymouth Universities. UCU has produced a campaign briefing which gives some background on Navitas, which you can download here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=2796

In Autumn 2008, the UCU branch at Manchester Metropolitan University [...]]]> Sharing resources on Navitas

Earlier this year, Navitas, the Australian private education provider announced two new partnerships with UK higher education institutions, including Portsmouth and Plymouth Universities. UCU has produced a campaign briefing which gives some background on Navitas, which you can download here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/utilities/action/act_download.cfm?mediaid=2796

In Autumn 2008, the UCU branch at Manchester Metropolitan University successfully campaigned against a similar partnership with Navitas. You can view their campaign blogpage here:

http://navitas-privatisation.blogspot.com/