by DIRK MULDER

There will be no going back if the wrong path is taken

Robert Frost’s 1916 poem “Two Roads” classically speaks of life-choice, of reaching a fork in the road, where compromise is not possible.

China and Australia are just about there, having to make a choice on whether Chinese students will study here or in other countries. And once made it will be hard to retrace the path.

The recent Chinese state media warning against studying in Australia (CMM 8 Feb) and the education ministry’s announcement that Australian partnerships in China have “insufficient investment in high-quality education” (CMM 15 Feb) are a precursor to what may come.  This week there was more.

CMM understands Austrade will not participate in the China International Education Exhibition Tour (20 and 21 March) which it had long planned to be part of. While details are yet to come to light, it appears the cause is a breakdown in relations between Chinese and Australian officials.

In a more direct turn of events, education agents in tier two and three cities in China have recently received communication from the local state education bureaus, expressing concerns around the promotion of Australian Education.

As Frost wrote; “two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Let us hope the course governments take over coming weeks ensures a commitment to students and that the deep relationships that have been formed between our countries over many, many years can continue. With both sides clearly posturing on trade we desperately need a senior statesman who understand the implications of present events, for many years to come, to choose the path.

We are approaching a point where there is no turning back.

Dirk Mulder is CMM’s international education correspondent