Fears international students will miss another year at Victorian universities

Victorian universities hard hit by the pandemic fear a lag in decision making could cost them lucrative student enrolments.

International students won’t be celebrating if barriers to studying in Australia remain.

The state government’s delay in providing a plan to welcome back more than 100,000 overseas students to Victoria is threatening the state’s $14 billion a year international education economy, an industry expert has warned.

Phil Honeywood, head of the Australian International Education Association, said universities could not afford to lose students for another academic year and that students’ loyalty could be lost.

All states were given a deadline of November 30 last year by then federal education minister Dan Tehan to come up with a strategy.

“The state has jumped through hoops to get the Australian Open here for two or three weeks. But international students will be here for three to four years,’’ Mr Honeywood said.

“They way we are going there’s going to be no first semester group (of international students) for Semester 1 in Victoria.’’

Students’ loyalty will be tested, he warned.

International students provide a financial boost to universities but also to the broader economy.

“They were willing to be patient for one academic year but two years will be too long.’’

The federal and state governments are liaising through the International Students Arrivals Working Group.

Quarantine options other than hotels are being considered as part of a recovery strategy as will the lessons from the pilot programs in the Northern Territory and South Australia.

South Australia's trial to bring overseas students should be launched within weeks to help revive the #intled sector.

"the sooner the Marshall Government can decide to proceed, the better for SA’s universities" @PhilHoneywood https://t.co/AyHAYJme0E

— IEAA (@IEAAustralia) January 6, 2021

Two of Australia’s biggest providers of student accommodation – Scape and UniLodge – have offered up to 5500 rooms in three cities to quarantine incoming students.

Craig Carracher of Scape Australia has said that overseas students were suited to and could be properly catered for in specialised accommodation rather than in hotels.

Remote learning has left campuses, such as Melbourne University at Parkville, eerily quiet

A government spokesman said Victoria was working with the Federal Government and the sector on a plan to welcome international students in 2021.

“The current budget provides $33.4 million to support the return of students and lay the foundation for a strong recovery for the sector.”

The government has also provided $45 million in emergency relief for international students for rent, food and utility grants.

Also central to getting students back is the delivery of face-to-face tuition with some Victorian universities signalling that remote learning would continue this year but with some practical and lab work conducted on campus.

According to data collection agency Infogram, 164,427 international students were still enrolled in Victorian universities in October 2020. Of that number, 19 per cent were still living overseas.

@IanRoyall