February 22, 2019
The Australian Embassy Nepal has released a press statement addressing the AIBT’s cancellation of VET (Vocational Education and Training) registration and CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) registration.
The Embassy has advised the students to remain enrolled and continue to attend classes, to satisfy their visa conditions. It has also assured that in case the provider stops delivering the course, TPS (Tuition Protection Service) will be there to help students.
Further, the statement quotes, “In the event that AIBT does stop operating, it would be their responsibility to find students an alternative course or pay them a refund of their unspent tuition fees. If an alternative placement is not possible, the TPS will seek to place the institute’s students with an alternate provider or if that is not possible, consider refund of the students’ unspent tuition fees”.
AIBT is registered under two separate RTO’s (Registered Training Organisations) under the banner of AIBT Global. The Embassy has stated that ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) has cancelled the VET and CRICOS registration of AIBT under the name of Brighton Pacific Pty Ltd. According to AIBT, the other RTO is registered as International Pty Ltd (AIBT-I) trading as AIBT (Australia Institute of Business and Technology).
The release states, “Unless Brighton Pacific Pty Ltd seeks a review and is granted a stay of ASQA’s decision, the cancellation decision will take effect from 26 March 2019”. Since Brighton Pacific Pty Ltd has decided to defend the decision of ASQA, it is permitted to operate and conduct classes as usual.
The Embassy has stated that, students would be allowed a grace period of at least 28 days and up to 3 months to transfer to another provider before considering for visa cancellation. In addition, the case would be dealt individually, and further extension might be possible.
Resonating to the statement of ASQA, the Embassy stated that providers, and on behalf of education agents, are responsible not to mislead students. The Embassy also states that ASQA has acknowledged the reports that some students did not know the course was not ANMAC-accredited. Embassy has also asked prospective students to research on providers, courses, fees, lifestyle and any other relevant factors in Australia.
