The recent easing of Australia’s visa restrictions on overseas students could usher in a “third wave of international education” in the nation’s universities having established government support for the sector via an “affirming” message that resonated abroad, says the outgoing chief executive of Universities Australia. But for many in the sector, the question is whether the benefits stemming from the Knight review of Australia’s student visa system will feed through fast enough to remedy the financial damage from a sharp decline in international numbers.
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By recommending a reduction in red tape and an enticing new post-study work option for international students, the review is seen by many to have boosted Australia’s attractiveness as a study destination and wrong-footed competitor nations — especially the UK, which currently seems to be heading in the opposite direction. More importantly, many believe it has sent a signal that Australia is open for business after a period in which more stringent visa rules and bad publicity presented a negative picture to potential students from abroad.
Glenn Withers, who stepped down as chief executive of umbrella group Universities Australia in January, is in no doubt about the positive effects of the review, led by former Sydney Olympics minister Michael Knight. “The release of the report, and the government’s positive response received strongly affirming coverage in the international media and through agent and informal networks,” he says. “The review was very important because it showed that the government recognised the significance of the international education sector to Australia, while signifying that (it) is committed to working with the sector to protect the interests of students, universities and other providers.”
The key question now is whether the announced changes will boost Australia’s flagging recruitment of overseas students in time to stem the resulting loss of jobs and income at universities and other education institutions such as vocational colleges.
The latest figures on education exports in Australia, published in December highlight the need to act fast. The value of fees, goods and services purchased by foreign students dropped to A$15.8 billion (Rs.83,740 crore) in 2010-11 from A$18.5 billion the previous year, according to the International Education Association of Australia. The states of Victoria and New South Wales — which together have almost half the country’s universities — each lost more than A$1 billion (Rs.5,300 crore) in that period.
Agents recruiting international students for Australian institutions are not optimistic about the chances of a quick upturn. “Changes being made by the government to the visa system are making Australia a more attractive destination for international students, but we don’t expect to see a clear turnaround in the offshore market for at least a year,” says Warwick Freeland, general manager and chief strategy officer at international student-recruitment agency IDP Education.
Recent visa-application statistics from the Australian government show the fragility of the market. In the three-month period ended September 2011, ‘offshore’ applications by international students to all types of institutions were up 5.2 percent compared with the same period in 2010. Demand from India more than doubled.
Vice chancellors are also very aware that it may be too early to see signs of any recovery for the sector. But Steven Schwartz, vice chancellor of Macquarie University, says the indications are that the changes made in the wake of the Knight review had already been well received in key markets such as India and China. “The new visa scheme will be more advantageous to students than any of its predecessors. For example, students will have the ability to stay and work for a period at any job after graduating,” he says.
However, convincing prospective international students that Australia has reversed its past reputation for poor support, an unwelcoming local population and high students-to-staff ratios may prove trickier than capitalising on the easy marketing boost provided by the Knight review.
(Excerpted and adapted from Times Higher Education)