International education is seen as one of the real educational success stories in Australia, delivering educational, social, cultural and economic benefits. But we also know how deeply COVID-19 has affected it. This has been particularly severe on Higher Education institutions and English Language Colleges, along with very significant downstream effects on all the other accommodation and support services for international students. It has also affected spending on retail, tourism, institutional staffing and research.<\/p>\n

To compensate delivery has moved online and offshore, and the sector is said to have displayed \u201cinnovation, flexibility and resilience,\u201d but there is still considerable uncertainty about the longer-term effects, including shifts in global and political power and economic volatility in countries overseas. And, when we reopen Australian borders more widely, which markets will remain viable? So, sustainability is the key focus.<\/p>\n

Data highlighted in the strategy show a mixed picture of the impacts of COVID-19 and border closures, so that:<\/p>\n

\u201cBy December 2020, enrolments in higher education dropped by 5 per cent, while enrolments in VET increased by 9 per cent, driven by many onshore students, who have continued their studies or transferred providers or courses.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, \u201cenrolments also dropped in traditional pathway sectors such as ELICOS (33 per cent), schools (20 per cent) and in non-award courses (34 per cent).\u201d<\/p>\n

China has been dominant in providing student numbers but commencements from China to December 2020 \u201cdeclined by 26 per cent, while commencements from the rest of the world declined by 21 per cent, resulting in an overall global commencement decline of 22 per cent.\u201d<\/p>\n