Australia New fast network reported that the number of international students in Australia fall again, compared with the number of statistics in February last year, Federal Government statistics appears 2.5% again with the same period of the fall of this year.
data released this week makes it concerns this downward trend will continue until 2012. Since 2002, the average rise in the number of 10% for the February of each year international students, has decreased and the number of statistical results should show this year, a disappointment.
loss of sources of the most serious is to vocational education institutions, including cooks and hairdressers, mechanics course. Number of students in these colleges fell 21.5%.
India students ' also was heavily damaged. In February of this year various colleges around the Australia India new than sharp 30.3% with the same period last year, but India is still the international education industry in Australia's second-largest market, providing Australia with 12.3% students, second only to the largest source countries-China. As of February, the proportion of foreign students in China has accounted for 30.5%, year up 8.2%.
however, the education industry fears Australian dollar rising to extend education market downturn because the United States and other countries more competitive.
from the higher education research centre at the University of Melbourne (Centre for the Study of Higher Education at Melbourne University) Simon Marginson said the Australian dollar rising, plus the cost of living in the capital cities of Australia and constantly rising, Australia will be increasingly difficult to attract potential students. He said: "(due to the high cost of living and housing), people will find the cost of studying in some parts of Australia than in the United States more expensive. Very significant cost advantages to studying in Australia have great diving. "Professor
Marginson pointed out that visa harmful effects of the reform of the Federal Government last year not inferior to AUD. Combining two major disadvantages would be enough to discourage potential students, and turn to other countries.
Marginson also said that if the visa approval issues are not addressed, as Australia's largest international student market China will turn to United States, and Canada and other countries. "United States schools have credit advantage. If studying in Australia costs continue to rise, at the United States continued to maintain excellent credit advantage, then our prospects are more worry. "
Union of Australian University (Universities Australia), Executive Director Glenn Withers forecast 2011 will continue to reduce the number of international students, and this trend may continue. He said: "all signs indicate that in 2011 as well as the significant decrease in number of students will in the short term. ”
