New Delhi, Feb 24 Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Tuesday announced funding of A$5.1 million to further strengthen the country's international education industry and "safeguard the course fees of international students".

The funding will be made available to top up the Education Services for Overseas Students Assurance Fund (ESOS Assurance Fund), said a statement by the Australian high commission here.

"The ESOS Assurance Fund is the cornerstone of Australia's international student consumer protection framework which safeguards the course fees of international students. The fund was established in 2000 with an $1 million start amount provided by the government."

Gillard also welcomed the strengthening of rules for education providers of international students by requiring all colleges to re-register under new, stronger criteria by the end of 2010.

"The new rules come under the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Re-registration of Providers and Other Measures) Bill 2009 which passed the Senate and will help weed out dodgy providers from the industry," said the statement.

This will mean that all education and training providers currently registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) will have to re-register under the strengthened criteria by December 31.

Gillard pointed out this was intended to reinforce confidence in the quality of the Australian international education sector and to strengthen the registration process.

Only those who have met the strengthened entry requirements will remain on the register from January 2011.