What are the solutions to this problem, which is not only harming international students but also seriously jeopardising Australia's reputation as a high quality education provider? The solutions are necessarily diverse but some are obvious.

First and most fundamentally, universities have to set realistic and appropriate proficiency levels for entry purposes.

Second, all persons involved from marketers to academics and administrators need to have a better understanding of what English language proficiency means and of what English language tests (especially IELTS) measure and what they do not measure.

Third, despite the extreme financial pressures that universities have been subjected to by the present deplorable funding policies, they need to give higher priority to their long term reputation as quality providers; they need to give less priority to short term financial gain from enrolling inadequately prepared international students.

Fourth, universities need to ensure that they provide an appropriate level of support to their international students, especially in English language and in Australian education-related culture.

Fifth, decisions about appropriate entry levels need to be made by people who understand IELTS and the implications of its levels…

This is part of an edited version of a talk entitled 'English Language Problems in Universities' by Professor Ingram broadcast on the ABC's Lingua Franca program on Saturday, July 2, 2005.