Careers of over 450 Indian students in Australia have been jeopardised following closure of an Adelaide-based college, after it failed audits of the government on standards of education it was offering.
The South Australian Government cancelled the registration of the Adelaide Pacific International College (APIC), which failed audits this year.
State Education Minister Jack Snelling told the Parliament that the APIC in Currie Street is no longer registered to operate.
Its registration will be cancelled from June 28, when it will be removed from the National Training Information Service. The college has 28 days to appeal against the decision.
The APIC breached 12 out of 14 national standards, Mr. Snelling told the Parliament, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
He said every effort would be made to place its students in alternative colleges or in TAFE courses.
“I have repeatedly stated that students' welfare is a paramount concern and all available steps will be taken,” the Minister said.
Mr. Snelling said he had spoken with Indian Consul-General Amit Dasgupta and president of the local Indian association Major-General Vikram Madan.
The students would be provided with written advice on their rights and obligations through the South Australian Training Advocate, the Minister said.
Problems with the college, which offered courses in community service, aged care, business management, automotive studies and security, were first raised in May after a state government audit in March.
At the time, management said it had been a victim of fraud and turned the matter over to the police. But Mr. Snelling said the response from the college had been considered and it remained critically non-compliant.
The audit found the college had failed to adequately monitor student progress and attendance, and had failed to provide quality training and assessment to maximise outcomes for its clients.
The APIC said recently police was also investigating alleged fraud by a former senior employee.
Indian students are the second largest group of foreign students in Australian, after those from China. Over one lakh Indians are enrolled in different colleges in the country.
Last year, Australia's Education Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the government is acting on the problems facing international students in Australia.
