In breaking Four Corners news … 

“In the course of a generation, government funding for universities has fallen so drastically that Australia’s reputation for world class teaching is in question, and about a quarter of the 38 universities are bleeding money. The funding squeeze has forced the tertiary education sector to become heavily dependent on a new market of full fee paying international students. This program asks what compromises the universities are being asked to make in order to fund the shortfall in finances; there are allegations of falling standards, soft marking and plagiarism. With Asian countries such as China now investing in their own tertiary education systems, the heavy reliance on overseas students seems insecure, and the ideals of quality education and equality of access to it are now in doubt.”  That’s how the ABC  pitched a uni standards gone to hell programme which went to air on June 27 2006. Hard to see what new allegations tonight’s ep on the subject will add (CMM Friday).