‘We say no to the federal government’s caps’: Jacinta Allan says at Australia India Institute’s 2024 Annual Oration
Jacinta Allan has used a speech in India to criticise the federal government’s proposed cap on international students as the Premier looks at a way Victoria can exploit a major loophole.
Victoria
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The Allan government has ramped up its attack on the federal government’s bid to cap international students, with a new plan to exploit a loophole it says could protect the state’s $15bn industry.
Under the scheme, the government would fund Victorian universities and TAFEs to deliver courses to international students outside Australia through offshore campuses or partnering with international education providers. It would result in courses completed equally between Melbourne and overseas campuses, with students entering Victoria excluded from the proposed caps.
In Delhi on Monday, Premier Jacinta Allan announced a new $5m Yes to International Students Fund.
She made the announcement while delivering the Australia India Institute’s 2024 Annual Oration.
“We say no to the federal government’s caps. Our new fund is going to help our unis and TAFEs find innovative ways to challenge them, and make our offering to international students even stronger,” she said.
“We say yes to international students because they boost our economy and our global reputation, they support our small businesses, and they keep our multicultural state connected with the world.”
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare welcomed the Victorian government’s new $5m fund.
Mr Clare said international education was an important asset to our country, but it was not a one way street.
“Not everyone can afford to come to Australia to study. But Australian universities can come to them,” he said.
“That’s exactly what is happening with a number of Australian universities establishing campuses overseas. That’s a good thing.”
The Allan government will also lobby for the transnational arrangements to remain outside of the proposed caps.
A key focus of the Premier’s five-day visit to India is reassuring Indian officials that Victoria remains open to international students despite the cap plan.
India remains Victoria’s largest source for international students, worth almost $15bn, but has not yet returned to pre-Covid levels.
But modelling has warned the caps could have see almost $6bn stripped from Victoria’s economy and lead to thousands of job losses.
“We are home to so many Indian students who choose to come and study at one of Victoria’s world class education institutions,” she said.
“There’s a delegation that I’m leading this week of a range of Victoria’s higher education institutions, where we will be collectively sending a message to the Indian community about how we will continue to welcome international students here in Victoria, that Victoria is a great place to choose to study for the quality of education.
“We’ll also be making it very clear that whilst the federal government has put caps in place that we don’t support, we continue to support a very strong, welcoming environment for international students.”
Earlier on Monday Ms Allan met with Air India chief Campbell Wilson to explore more direct flights to Melbourne, and visited the historic Qutb Minar and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque.
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