October 2009
Universities Australia provided a submission to Australian Education International's Review of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 (the 'Baird Review').
The internationalisation of Australia's universities has played out over the last half century. The history of international education in universities started in 1950 following the meeting of Commonwealth foreign ministers in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and recommended the creation of a scheme under which bilateral aid could flow to developing countries in South and Southeast Asia. Australia's universities then opened their doors to thousands of Colombo Plan students. This period of aid based delivery of education is characterised as the first wave of internationalisation.
With the passing of legislation in the mid 1980s allowing universities to enrol full fee international students, education moved from a sole focus on aid to include a heavy focus on trade as well. Many students continued to come to Australia to study on a variety of scholarships during this period. The twenty-five years of this period of internationalisation has saw education become one of Australia's largest exports and a significant source of revenue (on average 15%) for universities.
Universities Australia considers that universities are now on the cusp of a third wave of internationalisation. This involves the development of engagement strategies that enable universities to fully engage in a global knowledge economy.
To read the full submission, download the PDF below.
