Back In January Universities Australia warned of worries with the federal government’s proposed foreign influence legislation. But the feds listened and this morning UA calls on parliament to pass the amended bill.

In the original draft universities advocating for their international students could be classed as working for a foreign principal. “If a staff member attempted to assist a student in dealings with government, they may inadvertently have contravened the law if they have not registered under the scheme,” UA warned.

The same could occur for academics working on research with overseas partners. “It is not possible to remain at the cutting edge of innovation without strong international partnerships,” UA added.

The feds listened and UA chief Catriona Jackson says the proposed amendments, “are a sensible way to make the scheme more workable.”