International students at Murdoch University are being investigated for cheating and some have such poor English they are taking interpreters to class, prompting academics to question whether the university needs to review entry standards in its drive to lift enrolments.

The West Australian has learnt that Murdoch has hired a barrister from Francis Burt Chambers to investigate a range of issues including processes around the recruitment and support of international students.

International admissions have surged since Murdoch started offering “welcome scholarships” valued about $11,000.

More: Students’ poor English worries Murdoch academic

It is understood the university has this year had a much higher than expected increase in the percentage of students reported for academic misconduct such as plagiarism.

The National Tertiary Education Union said members had raised concerns about a big increase in the number of international students arriving with poor English language and computing skills.

WA Division secretary Gabe Gooding said there was a concern some students had been enrolled without the capacity to undertake the courses, leading to increased staff workloads.

“Union members have described students requiring interpreters in classes, refusing to stop collaborating during exams, being unable to undertake basic tasks and a high failure rate in first semester this year,” she said.

“We have been told by our members that students who can barely write an email are then subsequently handing in assignments in fluent English.”

Ms Gooding said an exam had been interrupted because international students would not stop collaborating.

Murdoch University confirmed there had been one instance of an exam being disrupted but no students were disadvantaged. It had no knowledge of claims that students were taking interpreters to class.

Provost Romy Lawson said “a small number” of students required guidance to maintain the university’s academic conduct standards, as was the case across the sector.

“The university takes these matters of academic standards very seriously and takes actions when necessary in line with university policy,” she said.

“We also promptly manage cases of academic misconduct, which occurs in fewer than 0.5 per cent of students — both international and domestic.”

Professor Lawson said there had been a 4 per cent increase in unit failure rates by inter-national students in first sem-ester and extra support services were being provided.

“Our progression rates for international students this year are slightly lower than 2017 but remain consistent with rates of the past decade,” she said.