In a significant display of strength, 20 universities have united to call on the Federal Government to change policies relating to international students.
Three of the nation’s four university lobby groups have joined forces to make the call – creating a new, stronger bloc of strategic lobbying support for the sector. Universities Australia, which is forced to try to grow consensus across all institutions, and the elite Group of Eight were notably absent from the united pitch made by the Australian Technology Network (ATN), Innovative Research Universities (IRU) and Regional Universities Network (RUN).
“The week ahead is critical for the future of our globally respected international education system,” the three groups said, in a joint statement released yesterday.
The group propose three actions to improve outcomes for international students and institutions:
- Don’t throw reforms out with caps – calling on Parliament to look beyond the doomed caps element of the ESOS Amendment Bill, to consider passing reforms in the remainder of the Bill to strengthen the system. “Parliament should pass as much of the Bill as possible this week,” the group said.
- Fix visa processing – Immediately act to resource and reform the student visa processing system so that it can operate based on principles of transparency, repeatability and institutional equality.
- Co-design an effective international strategy – working with sector and Government, to create an effective long-term strategy for visas, accommodation and an education and skills framework.
The united groups bring a strength and focus to sector advocacy that has been difficult to find amidst with contradiction from a handful of institutions a flood of ideologically-driven positions hammered into media channels by opposing parties and inexperienced pundits clouding public debate over international education policy.
Regardless of the impact of this statement, the emergence of a bloc of 20 universities finding common interests to act in concert is a significant development for the sector.
“Action must be taken now to address the unresolved issues associated with the ESOS Amendment Bill still before Parliament, the government’s proposed approach to international student caps, and inequities in the current student visa processing regime,” the three groups said.
“Leaving these issues unresolved until 2025 will … further undermine equity and diversification in Australia’s international education system, and unfairly punish some students, institutions and communities.
ATN Executive Director Ant Bagshaw said the whole sector would benefit when integrity and quality became the focus of international education policy. “We are making this joint statement because it’s time to offer practical and principled ways forward for international education. This isn’t about winners and losers, or taking victory laps for short-term wins.”
IRU EC Paul Harris said a lack of action would undermine equity and diversification in the sector. “There is an urgent need for action to resolve the current stalemate – without this, it will be too late for many international students hoping to start their studies with our universities in 2025.”
RUN Chief Alec Webb said that without action, many communities would miss out on international enrolments, and the benefit they bring. “All communities deserve to benefit from the cultural, social, and economic impacts that international students bring to Australia.”
