Institutions of higher education are today under increasing pressure tointernationalize their courses and programmes. The overall impact ofthis process is far from clear. This essay compares and contrastspatterns of Australian higher education offered to students fromdeveloping countries, with services delivered to Australian-bornstudents. We suggest that the process of globalization is contributingto uneven economic and educational development, and may weaken theover-stretched educational systems of poorer countries.