Sydney, Oct. 19 Australia's largest recruiter of overseas students has warned that the country would not be able to provide quality education to Indian and Chinese students, if it continues to enrol them at unsustainable levels in the medium term.

"Australia would find it difficult to supply quality education if the vocational education growth rates of the past few years continue. The silver lining in all this is it will bring the industry back to a sustainable base that's vital for Australia's future," The Australian quoted IDP Education chief executive Tony Pollock, as saying. "We can't cope with 30 per cent growth. Single-digit quality growth in our major markets is in the sector's, and Australia's, interests," he added. "In big markets like India or China single-digit growth is good for Australia, but for emerging markets like Latin America it could be double-digit growth." India and China account for more than 40 per cent of Australia's 547,600 overseas student enrolments, but their annual growth rates are running at 38 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. Although vocational education continues a hot favourite among Indian students, but visa abuse cases have become a reputational crisis for Australia.

"If we want India to be an important source of students and skilled migrants, we have good alignment of safety, legislative support, the mechanisms of access, the visa and the opportunity if they wish to take (residency)," Pollock said. According to sources, International student recruiters have analysed that the Indian growth rates have calculated that the number of Indian students would cross 500,000 in five years, with no teachers, classes or accommodation to serve them. (ANI)