by CLAIRE FIELD

In recent weeks a number of positives have emerged for Australia’s international education sector. Regrettably though there are also potential negatives which must be addressed

Firstly the good news.

I missed this IEAA webinar from late December where the Department of Home Affairs’ representative makes clear that visa processing staff have received explicit training to ensure they properly understand and apply the Genuine Temporary Entrant test, so that now “just because someone has an aspiration to apply for permanent residency does not mean they would be refused a visa”.

More good news was last week’s announcement of $10 million to support the implementation of the new National Strategy. The funds are designed to help providers expand their offerings and move into new markets.

The bad news (especially as providers try to diversify their source markets) is this analysis on the annual State of Southeast Asia report, which shows a declining regard for Australia as an international study destination amongst decision makers in the region.

Survey respondents were asked to rank destination countries/regions as their first choice for a scholarship-funded university place – Australia has fallen from the preferred destination of 21.2 per cent of respondents in 2019 to the first choice of just 9.9 per cent this year.

The analysis shows Australia has moved from the “clear third choice” after the US and the EU in 2019 to the “contested fourth spot with Japan, China and New Zealand, or any other Southeast Asian country also sneaking up.”

While most students from Southeast Asia obviously do not come to Australia on scholarships, nonetheless the sharp decline in interest in Australia as a preferred destination needs to be urgently addressed.

A final note given the times we are in – in addition to taking refugees from Ukraine, I applaud the international education agents calling for the Australian government to allow Ukrainian students to lodge visa applications in centres other than Moscow, to remove fees on visas for Ukrainian students, and for education providers to offer scholarship places to Ukrainian students.

Claire Field is an adviser to the tertiary education sector