'Australia not a country' professor sacked

An American university has replaced a professor who failed a student for saying Australia was a country.

Australia and Pacific on world globe

Is Australia a country or a continent? Source: Geography Photos/UIG via Getty Images

An online adjunct professor told a student that Australia is not a country and gave her a failing grade, prompting Southern New Hampshire University to replace the instructor.

Buzzfeed News reports that the 27-year-old student in Idaho was assigned to compare American social norms to that of another country.

She chose to study social media use in Australia, but the professor gave her a zero on that portion of the assignment, saying Australia is a continent, not a country.

University officials tell WMUR-TV the instructor has been replaced following an investigation.

In a statement, the university said it deeply regrets the interaction between the professor and student, and wished athletes from Australia good luck in the Olympic Games.


Share

1 min read

Published

Updated

By Ismail Kayhan



Share this with family and friends


Follow SBS Turkish

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our exclusive in-language podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

Turkish News

Watch now

'Australia not a country' professor sacked | SBS Turkish