Melbourne: The minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today welcomed the release of the Baird review final report into the legislation that governs international education in Australia.

Following his review of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000, former Member for Cook Bruce Baird has recommended immediate changes to improve the experience of international students choosing to study and live in Australia.

Mr Baird's report, 'Stronger, simpler, smarter ESOS: supporting international students', makes recommendations including:

• more support for international students and improved information
• stronger consumer protection mechanisms to ensure students are protected from unscrupulous operators
• improved regulation of Australia’s international education sector
• improved support for those who study and live in Australia including having somewhere to go when problems arise.

Mr. Baird has detailed the issues facing the sector and makes a number of recommendations for strengthening legislation to better protect international students and ensure Australia continues to offer a world class quality education.

The recommendations follow extensive consultation with international students, education providers, state and territory governments, regulatory bodies, student organisations, international education professionals, education unions, industry bodies and diplomatic missions.

Ms. Gillard said the government supports in principle recommendations to amend the ESOS Act to lift the bar on entry into the international education industry in Australia.

The government will also move to implement recommendations, which relate to restricting unethical student recruitment practices as soon as possible.

These changes will require amendments to the ESOS Act. Mr. Baird will brief the opposition and other parties on the review's recommendations this week with a view to having them available for consideration by the Parliament as soon as possible.

Other recommendations will require consultation to begin immediately with the states and territories, international education sector, other Australian government ministers and consultation.