Adding "we do have a problem in India, and it is our collective problem," an official of a universities' group said on Thursday that a national agency to oversee standards of higher education providers will help resolve Australia's "serious perception issues" in India.

It was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Wednesday that the establishment of Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), which is going to be an independent body to regulate higher education providers.

The agency was established following concerns about safety and the quality of education providers to international students, including those from India.

There has been a string of attacks on Indians in Australia and one of the assaults proved fatal.

Many of the Indian students also faced problems after the institutes where they were enrolled shut down.

Universities Australia chair Peter Coaldrake said that the new agency will help resolve the "serious perception issues" that had developed after attacks on Indian students in Australia, and cases of students paying high fees for substandard courses.

Australian news agency AAP quoted Coaldrake as saying," We do have a problem in India, and it is our collective problem. A problem for a private VET (Vocational Education and Training) provider is a problem for Australia"

"We all support the establishment of a body which can proudly wave the flag in terms of the quality of our system and which monitors the entry of new players," Coaldrake further added. (With inputs from Agencies)