Australian universities welcome snap decision by China to ban online studies

The Australian university sector has welcomed a snap Chinese government ban on citizens studying at foreign universities online.

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

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.

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

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