62% of Indian Higher Educational Students in Australia are Enrolled in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Sector. (May 25, 2009)

The Indian Based Daily News & Analysis (DNA) reports: "Newly-released statistics by the Australian Education International on enrollment of Indian students in Australian universities observed an increase of 38.9 per cent from last year as of March 2009."

Rahul Choudaha, cited as a higher educational professional based in New York told DNA: "A majority of Indian students in Australia are enrolled in the Vocational Education and Training sector (VET). Around 62 per cent of the total Indian students are enrolled in these courses."

DNA goes on to state: "The VET courses offer diploma and advanced diploma in several fields such as reflexology, aircraft maintenance, tool designing, electronic engineering technician, etc. Since these courses are industry-focussed, there are a lot of takers among Indian students," and adds a, "new segment of aspirational students in India are seeking international vocational education at an affordable price with opportunities for immigration. Australia seems to be fulfilling this aspiration for a large number of Indian students which the US colleges have completely missed out".

With the increasing reliance by Australia's universities on income from overseas student enrollments, if the Indian statistics are representative, the effect on universities' active learning and research interests can become deleterious to the point of toxicity in such areas as mathematics, the enabling sciences, and the humanities through surreptitious redirection of resources.