Unis welcome China's online study ban

Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said the move would encourage some 40,000 Chinese students to return to Australia but warned there would be logistical hurdles.

"We will be working closely with government and industry to ensure universities can quickly respond to this influx and facilitate the safe return of students from China as well as students from other nations," Ms Jackson said on Sunday.

China's education ministry announced the ban on Saturday, instead telling its citizens to return to overseas campuses, News Corp reported on Sunday.

Australia's education sector took a financial hit at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when border closures forced full-fee paying international students to return home.

Since then, some universities have convinced Chinese nationals to continue studying at Australia universities online while still paying full fees.

Ms Jackson said education was Australia's largest service export, brigning $40 billion into the economy in 2019.

"Working back to this position of strength we held prior to the pandemic is in the interest of universities and our nation," she said.

The University of Sydney said it was working to get the majority of students back by the semester one in the first half of the year, before returning to face-to-face classes in semester two.

"We are aware of the short-term logistical challenges and will be working with the Australian government on this," a university spokeswoman said.

The sudden ban on online study follows a cooling of relations between Beijing and Canberra since Labor took office in May last year.

China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said earlier this month "bad political relations" had contributed to students' reluctance to come to Australia.

However, more stability in the relationship should see that trend reversed, he said.

Australian Associated Press