South Australia to admit 800 international students in pilot scheme
Nex month South Australia plans to admit 800 international students who will return to the state’s universities.
South Australia plans to admit 800 international students next month under a pilot program that will see them return to the state’s three universities.
SA and the ACT, where Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced a separate pilot program for the readmission of international students last Friday, are the first two jurisdictions to be ready for the return of international students.
The ACT has plans for 350 students enrolled at the Australian National University and the University of Canberra to arrive in late July. Additionally, NSW and Victoria are expected to announce their plans soon.
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On Tuesday Scott Morrison commended Mr Barr and SA Premier Steven Marshall for bringing forward proposals to the national cabinet to readmit students and “being willing to stump up and do the hard yards”.
Mr Morrison told the Coalition partyroom in Canberra that he understood NSW and Victoria were looking at options for pilot programs for the return of international students and said other states needed to do the same if they wanted to see international students back in their universities.
Queensland and Western Australia, where the state Labor governments face elections soon, are known to be reluctant to push for the return of overseas students.
In response to a question from a Queensland MP, Mr Morrison said he would welcome a proposal from the Palaszczuk government, which is going to the polls on October 31.
Universities strongly back the pilot programs, seeing them as an important step towards a much larger program of international student return next year. It’s critical for university budgets to have a substantial number of overseas students arrive first semester next year, particularly new students who are starting two and three-year courses. If new students don’t arrive in large numbers then universities face a revenue loss next year even worse than the $3.1bn to $4.8bn expected this year.
Non-university higher-education providers are urging that they also be included in the pilot programs.
Independent Higher Education Australia chief executive Simon Finn said his members were “perfectly placed” to participate.
International Education Association of Australia chief executive Phil Honeywood welcomed the programs.
“Our nation’s education providers have worked tirelessly to tick all the boxes for re-entry of international students,” he said.
But he added that important details still had to be resolved by governments.
“For example we are still waiting for the long-delayed (student) visa flexibility package, and equally we would hope that every state and territory government will agree to a national approach,” Mr Honeywood said.
The international education sector is calling on the federal government to waive the cost of renewing visas for students whose visas have expired but who can’t easily return to their home countries. It also wants rules amended so students who are studying online from their home countries, because they can’t enter Australia, still will be eligible for a post-study work visa that allows them to stay on in Australia for a fixed period after they complete their degree.
Additional reporting: Rosie Lewis
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