Two Aussie universities face class action lawsuits over 'misleading' degrees

Two of Australia's nationalist universities are facing accusations of offering "misleading" and unaccredited degrees to students aft copy people action lawsuits were launched.

The University of Newcastle is defending itself successful nan NSW Supreme Court complete claims it misrepresented to students who began studying a Bachelor of Medical Engineering (BME) successful 2018 that nan people was accredited pinch Engineers Australia and nether nan Washington Accord.

Lead plaintiff Andreas Sklavos alleges nan assemblage publicised nan grade arsenic qualifying a postgraduate for employment arsenic an accredited technologist successful Australia without immoderate further qualification.

The Supreme Court archive besides alleges nan assemblage said successful promotional materials that nan grade would suffice a postgraduate for employment arsenic an technologist successful Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey, UK and nan USA.

The suit claims that contempt student expectations, nan University of Newcastle's BME was not an accredited people astatine nan time.

It has been accused of being "misleading and deceptive" successful documents revenge pinch nan Supreme Court.

Provisional legalization position done Engineers Australia was granted and retrospectively applied to students who commenced successful nan BME from 2020, University of Newcastle General Counsel Daniel Bell said.

"The assemblage denies nan claims being made against it and is defending nan proceeding," Bell said.

"The assemblage accepts that nan BME was not accredited up until 10 December 2023.

"It says that from 11 December 2023, provisional legalization position done Engineers Australia was granted and retrospectively applied to students who commenced successful nan BME from 2020.

"The assemblage says that worldly it published during nan play 1 November 2017 to 31 July 2019 noted that nan assemblage was seeking provisional legalization for nan BME pinch Engineers Australia."

Bell said nan assemblage besides denies that immoderate published statements regarding legalization were misleading aliases deceptive.

The assemblage besides denies that it was "negligent toward, aliases entered a statement with, group members, successful narration to nan BME".

Students progressive successful nan people action person alleged they suffered financial nonaccomplishment aft completing nan BME.

This includes HECS debts and a "loss of income owed to [the plaintiff's] inability to believe and unafraid employment arsenic an technologist graduating pinch an Accredited Course immediately".

However, Bell said location is nary request for engineers successful Australia to person completed a grade that is accredited by Engineers Australia.

The University of Newcastle said it has offered to meet nan costs for immoderate students applying for rank pinch Engineers Australia.

"As nan matter is now earlier nan court, it would beryllium inappropriate for nan assemblage to remark further," Bell added.

A akin people action was revenge successful June against Western Sydney University (WSU) complete nan university's Master of Advanced Imaging (MRI) course.

The lead litigant alleges nan grade was not accredited pinch nan Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA).

It appears WSU nary longer offers nan MRI people to students.

Australian Law Partners is representing students successful some lawsuits.

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