China may reject online courses as coronavirus study options

Distance learning could suffer from connectivity problems and lack of recognition, Australian department warns

Australian universities planning to offer online courses to students affected by the coronavirus travel ban must be aware that China’s international education regulator does not recognise distance learning qualifications, the federal government has said.

The Department of Education, Skills and Employment says it has sought clarification from the China Service Center for Scholarly Exchange on its definition of ‘blended learning’. The agency is part of China’s Ministry of Education and manages all international education services.