My question to all parents out there is would you entrust the future of your children to educational institutions that practices racial and nationality discriminations? Are you prepared to give your hard-earned money to educational institutions that are ready to con you and later blame you for their act? Are Asian academicians of lesser caliber or competence than Caucasians? I would like to shout loud and clear, a definite no! So think hard before you enroll your children in a so called international university. Inquire, examine and ask a lot of questions before taking any action. Remember, Internationality and competence cannot be equated with Caucasians alone.

1. Faulty and Erroneous thinking: Equating Internationality
and competence with Caucasians
An Asian dean of an Institute for English Language Education informed an Asian job
applicant apologetically and confidentially, that he can't hire him as an English lecturer
because the unspoken policy is to hire only Caucasian applicants. He said that this policy was
in line with the marketing strategy of the department and the university. He elaborated that
even the Asian parents of the students studying in his department prefer Caucasian
lecturers. Their preference was based on the notion that Caucasian lecturers are the best
English teachers. If the above myth is true, how come, the recent global English literary
award winners were Asians? Why are Asian academicians teaching English in "native
speaking" universities?
In another instance, the psychology department of an international university
offering a graduate program in English required that all Asian graduate students had to
submit their theses for English editing. But this requirement was exempted for "native
speakers." The native speakers (students) were mostly Caucasians. The fore-mentioned
examples are merely the tip of the iceberg of erroneous beliefs and discriminations being
promoted in certain Asian Universities, Colleges and International Schools. It is an open
secret that Caucasian PH.D candidates in the so called "native speakers' countries" are
required to have their dissertations submitted for English editing. But strangely, certain
Asian universities feel that Caucasians students should be exempted. Why? What would
happen, if Caucasian students write their theses in short messaging abbreviated form?
This article would like to examine specifically the erroneous and faulty thinking and practice
of equating Internationality and competence with Caucasians.
What is Internationality?
Firstly, internationality or being international is the acceptance of all nationalities
globally. Internationality cannot be limited to a specific category of nationalities. To have an
international university, college, or school is to have multiple nationalities as student and
personnel population. Secondly, internationality or being international is a mindset.
Claiming to be international while practicing racial and nationality discrimination does not
represent an international mindset. So, internationality and competence cannot be equated
with Caucasians alone. It is morally and ethically wrong as it promotes racial and nationality
discriminations. And for educational institutions to practice such discriminations and faulty
thinking is unbecoming and defeats the primary objective of holistic and positive education.

2. Is it a marketing strategy or a con-job?
A holistic teacher is someone who would provide objective guidance even to persons
who ignorantly follow a faulty thinking or practice. But when a teacher himself / herself
manipulates and uses the ignorance, faulty thinking and practice of others for his / her
profit, he/she is no longer a teacher but rather a con-man / con-woman. When educational
institutions instead of correcting the erroneous beliefs based on prejudice, ignorance or
misinformation, utilize such faulty thinking as marketing strategy for their profit – they are
deceiving the general public. It is high time that parents who spend exorbitant sums on
educational fees, question the competence and credibility of universities, colleges or
schools that practice racial and nationality discrimination. This is especially needful when
these educational institutions divert the blame back on the preferences of the students'
parents. In other words, universities, colleges or schools that practice racial and nationality
discrimination say that they do it because of the parents. But, is it true that all parents have
erroneous and faulty thinking? Or is it a convenient excuse to continue to practice unethical
and illegal practices with impunity? What kind of education can any university, college or
school give to their children if they practice racial and nationality discrimination? We are
living in these times where the world has become a global village. Internationality in
thinking and practice is a must for global progression. Thus, for education to be
international, the educational institutions must first-of-all have an international mindset,
culture and practice. Failure to do so is short-changing the parents and the students and in
the long run the education system of the respective country.
Is profit the vision and mission of educational institutions?
Educational institutions (especially private) have to make their profits. But when
educational institutions deliberately promote faulty and erroneous thinking and practices
for profit then profit alone becomes the vision and mission of these types of institutions.
These kind of educational institutions become licensed paper-mills with no objective,
positive and qualitative educational content. It is no wonder that certain washed-out
Caucasian academicians who cannot find a job back in their "native speaking" countries,
flock to certain Asian educational institutions that equates Internationality and competence
with them. Please take note that I say "certain" as most holistic educational institutions at
least attempt to avoid racial and nationality discriminations.
How to identify educational institution that practices racial and nationality
discriminations?
The following is a list of cues that can easily be spotted:
1. The heavy use of the term native speakers.
2. Recruitment policies and practices that incline towards Caucasian job applicants.

3. 3. Remuneration, salary and promotional differentiations between Asian and Caucasian
personnel.
4. Preferential and affirmative policies that benefits Caucasian personnel and students.
5. Provision of preferential and affirmative facilities and resources for Caucasian
personnel and students.
6. The existence and practice of Colonial work culture that treats Asian personnel as
servants of Caucasian masters.
7. The utilization of higher ratio of Asian personnel for administrative and supportive
positions while giving most of the academic and teaching positions to Caucasian
personnel.
8. Or (the reverse), utilizing Caucasian personnel as decorational and promotional
tools.
9. Emphasis of the existence and role of Caucasian personnel in the advertisement
Medias and marketing materials.
10. Overcharging students on the pretext of the higher cost of employing Caucasian
personnel.
11. Aggressive reactions to anyone who question the possible existence of racial and
nationality discriminations.
12. The apathy and habitual ignorance of regulating the discipline of Caucasian
personnel and students.
My question to all parents out there is would you entrust the future of your children to
educational institutions that practices racial and nationality discriminations? Are you
prepared to give your hard-earned money to educational institutions that are ready to con
you and later blame you for their act? Are Asian academicians of lesser caliber or
competence than Caucasians? I would like to shout loud and clear, a definite no! So think
hard before you enroll your children in a so called international university. Inquire, examine
and ask a lot of questions before taking any action. Remember, Internationality and
competence cannot be equated with Caucasians alone.
About the Author
Thesigan Nadarajan -
Th. Dip (MTBI); Th. B (BTS); MSCP (summa cum laude);
Winner of Rector's Award (AU)
Contact Email: nthesigan@hotmail.com