There are more international education markets for universities than China and India – Australia has lost sales in seven that matter.
Higher education alpha-analyst Frank Larkins (Uni Melbourne) tracks declining enrolments from seven nations that are neighbours and we need to keep as friends. The figures cover campuses in home-countries and Australia, making the figures for Singapore, an established market, alarming.
They are,
- Thailand (down 53 %)
- Japan (down 46 %)
- Malaysia (down 43%)
- Singapore (down 31 %)
- Republic of Korea (down 17 %)
- Hong Kong (down 12 %)
- Taiwan (down 10 %)
In the international ed business, a 31% decline from 50,000 to 34,000 between 2005-2013 is not a big deal, given the Chinese market increased from 40,000 to 137,000.
But as Professor Larkins points out, “all these Asia-Pacific countries are ones that Australia should be seeking to build strong strategic alliances. Nurturing understanding and respect through educational experiences is central to achieving such objectives.”
Especially with our emerging great-power neighbour, Indonesia. While total numbers studying in Australia are up by 800 over 20 years, to 10 000, the percentage share more than halved, from 6.5% to 3.1%. According to the last DFAT White Paper, “Our commitment to education, training and research exchanges will remain central to Australia’s soft power.”
Less soft, more limp.
