SA’s strong COVID response could help it become a worldwide education hub for the lucrative market
SA’s quick response to the COVID crisis has put us in the front seat to take more of the hugely lucrative international education market – already worth nearly $2bn for the state.
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A window of opportunity is opening for South Australia to boost its biggest export earner, the State Government and education market experts say.
International students have been hit hard by coronavirus restrictions but the state’s response can act as a beacon for why students should pick SA.
“There is still really strong demand for an overseas education from many of our key markets,” Study Adelaide chief executive Karyn Kent said of the sector that was worth $1.9 billion to SA last year.
“The majority remain determined to study abroad.
“That bodes very well for 2021, as long as we can ensure the right policies are in place.”
When restrictions began, many students returned home because of the uncertainty.
“Almost 32,000 are here but 6750 are enrolled but offshore,” Ms Kent said. “The vast majority of those are continuing students who are eagerly waiting to come back.”
Trade Tourism and Investment Minister David Ridgway said the planned test flight bringing back students through a quarantine program was an essential but complex process involving federal and state agencies, the universities and students themselves.
“We are waiting for Border Force and the wheels of the Federal Government to align for us (to get a date of arrival),” he said.
“We’ve done preparatory work based on how we dealt with the Australian citizens and residents repatriated from India. So we know that works well. But we will be cautious.”
The first flight — unlikely before late July — would be run by Singapore Airlines, and draw students from several different countries.
Flinders University vice-chancellor Colin Stirling said the priority would be continuing students with practical requirements in their courses.
“We will initially be inviting those students to come back so they can complete the practical part and therefore be able to graduate on schedule,” he said.
Mr Ridgway said once the first planeload was sorted, it would trigger further flights.
“Once we’ve got through the pilot and shown we can do it successfully this will be a strong marketing campaign,” Mr Ridgway said.
“It’s a good message we can send to international students – we’ll look after you.
“Given our major competitors – the US and UK — have had such problems, we’re in a sweet spot.”
Ms Kent agreed that SA should act quickly.
“If Australia can get back to face-to-face learning ahead of our international competitors that puts us in a very good position,” she said.
“There is a window of opportunity.”
Ms Kent said as well as no drop-off in people contacting Study Adelaide, an international survey of 6900 overseas students offered places in Australia and other western destinations found 69 per cent expected to commence studies as planned and only 5 per cent feared abandoning their plans.
The IDP Connect survey found a big preference for face-to-face learning with more than half saying if their study was delayed by more than a year they would move on to another study option.
In the survey, Australia, NZ and Canada ranked best in the response to the pandemic, safety and student welfare — well ahead of the US and UK.
Last year, international students were worth $1.9 billion to the state economy, up 17 per cent on 2018.
Each higher education student brings about $51,500 into the SA economy, according to Deloitte estimates.