Premier Peter Malinauskas says South Australia unaffected by international student caps
The Premier has revealed how SA will be impacted by the federal government’s international student intake caps.
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South Australian universities will not be impacted by caps to international student intake numbers, as the federal government reveals the number of foreign students allowed to enrol in Australian universities.
On Tuesday, federal Education Minister Jason Clare announced the government would set international student commencements at 270,000 for the 2025 calendar year – a similar number to last year.
But the federal government has also instituted individual limits for each public university across Australia, meaning they will each be impacted differently.
“For universities all up, it means they’ll be able to enrol about as many international students next year as they did last year,” Mr Clare said.
“For some, it will be less, and for some it will be more.”
However, Premier Peter Malinauskas confirmed South Australia would be unaffected by the caps, saying he had made his views known, both publicly and privately, that he was against any SA universities being affected.
“We were very concerned at the prospect of the international student cuts across the country and how they might impact South Australia at a time when we’re experiencing growth,” he said.
“We’ve got a very clear economic agenda, and we see innovation being central to that, particularly with AUKUS.
“International students are a key component of that agenda, because they fund research and they will backfill positions as other South Australians go to work on AUKUS.”
StudyAdelaide chief executive Jane Johnston welcomed the news saying it was a positive outcome for the state.
“It’s pleasing that there has been recognition of the importance of international students to South Australia,” she said.
“Adelaide has capacity for more international students and we need and welcome these students.”
The bulk of the enrolment cuts will be shouldered by vocational education and training providers which face a 20 per cent decrease in enrolments.
Meanwhile, universities would be allowed a 15 per cent increase in overseas students – bringing the number to around pre-pandemic levels.
Mr Clare said the “big winners” would be regional universities which would see increases to their caps.
“Almost every regional university will be able to enrol more international students next year than they did last year,” he said.
It is understood Flinders University is set to have its cap increased, while Adelaide University and the University of South Australia will remain unchanged from 2024 levels.
John Manning, Vice President and Senior Credit Officer at Moody’s Ratings said the proposed limits on new international student commencements for 2025 would “have a modest impact” on Australia’s public universities.
“It does not constitute a material deterioration in the operating environment for the sector,” he said.
International education was South Australia’s largest export sector in 2023, valued at $3.15b.
Adelaide University, Flinders University and the University of South Australia were contacted for comment.
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