BRITAIN’s universities are popular with Chinese: 35,000 Chinese students applied to them last year. But some have complained that the universities are devaluing the degree system by awarding them to substandard foreign students.

Recently, Britain’s Observer newspaper exposed a scandal at a polytechnic.

One of its professors was found to have ordered his staff to "minimize"the number of failing students. That was because there had been a drop in the number of applications.

Academics from across the country have contacted the Observer, providing further information about the lowering of academic standards to attract foreign students.

A new English language centre had been set up at Plymouth University. One experienced lecturer said that its purpose was to attract overseas students to the campus business centre, especially those from the Asia East.

"I saw a lot of dedicated, hard-working Chinese students who were just being used to make money. But already some Chinese parents and companies are beginning to question the quality of the courses,"he said.