Peak bodies representing English language colleges, private higher education and training, plus the overall industry, are meeting ministers today and tomorrow

By DIRK MULDER

Brett Blacker from English Australia says he expects meetings with past education ministers Simon Birmingham and Dan Tehan and incumbent Alan Tudge, plus Alan Hawke (Immigration) to be “detailed and forward looking.”

Assistance for international education providers in general, when Job Keeper starts to phase out in March, is on their agenda. However, the urgent need is for continuing support for private VET and HE providers and the English college sector – which fears it will lose the staff who will be essential to populate study pathways when the border opens.

The group will also urge the government to assure international students outside Australia that they are not forgotten.

With yesterday’s commitment by Victorian premier Daniel Andrews to a dedicated quarantine facility at Tullamarine or Avalon airports, the industry now has an opportunity to present specific proposals to bring back international students.

English Australia has long backed managed “safe travel” options to increase capacity, including the app-based goPassport (CMM September 30).

Dirk Mulder is CMM’s international education correspondent