Australian Financial Review | 8 October 2012
The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has rejected applications from operators of the Ashmark Institute and the Victorian Institute of Culinary Hospitality to renew their registrations as training providers, saying they are “critically non-compliant” with standards.
ASQA said that the Victorian Institute of Culinary Hospitality was operated by G Plus G Global Trading Pty Ltd and had about 400 students, almost all international. It said the the Ashmark Institute was operated by the Ashmark Group Pty Ltd with more than 900 students of whom the majority were international.
Indian media has reported that 400-plus Indian students study at Ashmark and about 100 study at G Plus G Global’s college. ASQA’s decision has been widely reported in India and the Australian High Commission is trying defuse any repeat of the anti-Australian media campaign three years ago by making it clear that the interests of Indian students will be protected
ASQA said that among the areas of non-compliance at the Ashmark Institute were very poor student attendance and not meeting the requirements of training packages.
ASQA said that with respect to the Victorian Institute of Culinary Hospitality, there was a lack of evidence of staff qualifications and vocational competencies and also not meeting the requirements of training packages.
