Australian governments and educational institutions are crafting plans to recover from more than two-thirds of the alarming fall in international student demand for universities compared to the pre-pandemic state of international education.
According to a new Australian National University (ANU) commissioned analysis, the situation is becoming increasingly urgent as the pandemic and the measures that go along with it have had massive impacts on universities and the Australian economy.
Key Takeaways:
- Australian government and universities laid out post-pandemic recovery plans for international students.
- Australia’s share of the international student market declined from 18 percent two years ago to 11.74 percent.
- Australia is now focusing on establishing social cohesion for international students to make them feel welcome in the country.
The report for ANU shows how Australia’s share of this market dropped from 18 percent in 2019 to 11.74 percent. Such a trend is poles apart from either the increase or consistency of stability of Australia’s key competitors such as the UK, the United States, and Canada.
While Australia already has a high rate of vaccination and is deemed to move out of the winter season, it is not anticipated that international student numbers will immediately go to pre-pandemic levels. Even though Australia’s borders will be opened soon, it is safe to say that the figures of international students in the country will not rebound right away.
Based on the findings of other recent global surveys, students’ perceptions and attitudes toward universities and how countries have handled the pandemic are primary considerations for selecting their study destination. Research showed how students’ perceptions toward Australian international education progressively declined over the recent months.
Aside from these, there are also continuing decline trends among other metrics such as the pandemic response, student and citizen safety, and international student policies like post-study work visas.
Moreover, 36 percent of surveyed students for the IDP Connect Crossroads research are likely to change their study destination if that means that they can gain in-person instruction earlier.
While other proposals are already in the course, South Australia received instruction to begin a quarantine program for international students. The state and the Commonwealth governments have already extended their support for a New South Wales-based program for the rest of the year and early 2022.
Australia is now focusing on establishing social cohesion for international students across many university settings to address long-identified issues, such as racism, loneliness, political harassment, and high levels of stress.
Local governments, businesses, and communities will be taking a fair share of Australia’s plans to make international students welcome both on and off-campus.
With Australia’s borders reopening and students coming in, Australian universities are expected to do the most critical thing in the post-pandemic recovery of the country’s international student market: to provide international students with an outstanding study abroad experience.
Read more:
- Unis Down Under Alarmed Over Losing Key Control in COVID-19
- AU Int’l Ed Sector Faces Loss After 120K+ Students Unable To Travel Abroad
- Australia Outlines Revival Plans for the Int’l Education Industry
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