Photo: Emma Young. Foreign nationals have been linked to sex work, money laundering and human trafficking while enrolled at an embattled Perth training organisation on international student visas. In June, national regulator the Australian Skills Quality Authority stopped AICT from teaching more than WA high school students after finding it was delivering the courses out of the scope of its registration. The school's chief executive Hong Fu blamed an "administrative error" that was "entirely out of character" and granted refunds to all schools, which have now sought alternative placements for students.
In September the tribunal granted an unconditional stay of deregistration, pending the review, so AICT can continue all activities, including teaching and enrolling international and domestic students. Australian border protection documents say she was found not to be a genuine student.
An arrest warrant is outstanding for her business partner. Documentation stated she had never attended school. It is not within AICT's control.
But the 13 remaining, which concerned student refunds, marketing practices, quality of training and 'conduct', led to ASQA's scrutiny and ultimate registration cancellation, a spokesman said.
One complainant identified himself as a former employee of AICT who wrote courses, but resigned and lodged a complaint on discovering they were being delivered out of scope. Another was a Perth Justice of the Peace. Another was an education agent who once sourced students for AICT, until relations broke down. The case remains active. World College itself has also been the subject of complaints: ASQA has investigated and resolved three complaints regarding World College in the past two years, sending the college a letter reminding it of its obligations under the national code.
