New five year plan for Australia universities

By Ray Clancy. A new Ministerial Co-ordinating Council on International Education is to be set up in Australia as part of a five year plan to make sure the country continues to be attractive to students from overseas. It is a response to a report from the International Advisory Council which makes 35 recommendations addressing seven key issues identified as crucial for the future of international education in Australia.
The report says that Australia cannot be complacent about its relatively strong performance in international education to date and it is facing increased competition from other countries. A key issue is the student visa programme which needs to be competitive going forward. The report suggests the programme should be reviewed to make sure it is not deterring foreign students and streamlined for applicants considered to be a low immigration risk. It also suggests increasing the points available for foreign graduates of Australian universities in the skilled migration points test from five to 10. Read more...