International students excluded by Victoria University

International students excluded by Victoria University sell-off

Victoria University’s decision to privatise its foundation studies programme will exclude dozens of international students from the university, say staff and students.

The university has confirmed it will outsource its international students’ foundation studies programme to a private company.

TEU organiser Nicki Wilford says the about 60 students will lose their place in the university when they move to a private company, and several people who have years of experience working to help those students get into university courses could lose their jobs.

“People across the university are upset. Many are also concerned that this is just one of several programmes that the university could cut off and sell.”

The university’s student association academic vice-president Jacinta Gulasekharam says many of the current international students are disappointed by the announcement.

“The university has chosen to progress with the outsourcing of the Foundation Studies programme, despite the submissions against this proposal including VUWSA’s and Victoria International Students’ Association (V-ISA),” she says.

Gulasekharam says international students come to Wellington to be part of Victoria campus and community, not to be excluded in a private course off to the side of the university.

She says student submissions provided empirical evidence that the programme should stay in-house in the interest of the student experience, education quality and student services.

“International students are integral to the Victoria University community, and their best interests must be paramount in any decision made by the senior leadership team. Does the university value an excellent international student experience, or reaching its growth targets?”

ENDS

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