If 2025 were a student, it would be the one who walked into orientation with all the confidence of a valedictorian, then realised halfway through semester one that the assignment rubric had completely changed — and nobody bothered to tell them.
Let’s take a look at the year that was…
- The Numbers Game: Caps, Allocations and Unexpected Wins
Let’s start with the figures, because what’s an international education story without a little metric mania?
At the start of the year, the sector was anxiously watching how Australia’s international student allocations would play out under a new planning framework. Despite whispers of stagnant growth and tightened visa processing, the sector actually powered ahead, reaching about 102% of its 2025 student allocation goals — a delightful surprise after months of “are we doomed?” rumblings in staff rooms and LinkedIn threads. thekoalanews.com
But here’s where it gets awkward: the breakdown was uneven, extremely uneven. Public universities hovered around expectations, although even here, results were mixed; some VET providers struggled to fill spots, and others outdid themselves, like a student who crammed for finals and still somehow beat the curve. All the while, the stand-alone ELICOS sector wondered whether it was even invited into the classroom. The high visa fee has seen them sitting out in the hallway, at times being promised an invitation would be in the mail, but the invitation just never came.
Not everyone felt like dancing. A Global Student Flows report used the year’s data to remind us that Australia might risk stagnating unless major reforms — particularly around visas, employability and global reputation — happened pronto. “Yes, we met the targets,” said some analysts, “but don’t get too comfortable.” Others noted that when you scratch the surface and dig into the numbers there are very worrying trends, such as the dramatic falls in ‘new to Australia’ students outside the public universities.
- Awards Season: More Glamorous Than a Graduation Gown
If 2025 were a movie, it would definitely have an Awards Montage; red carpets, heartfelt speeches, and unapologetic bragging rights galore.
In Sydney, the 2025 NSW International Education Awards saw international students and innovators honoured for contributions ranging from volunteer leadership to startup impact. Congratulations rang out for folks like Araf Iaj Khan, Diego Luna Alamilla and Jiaqi (Ellen) Jiang — and honestly, it was the kind of spotlight that makes even the strictest visa application processing officer tear up.
Victoria, not to be outdone, threw its own celebrations with winners such as Adiba Erfan, whose journey from English language programs to science studies turned into a bona fide beacon of global citizenship.
The Territory’s top honour, Study NT International Student of the Year, was awarded to Gilbertofer Tanoto from Charles Darwin University. Since arriving from Indonesia, Gilbertofer has become a respected advocate for student needs, a peer mentor, and a dedicated community leader.
So yes — while we worried about caps and policies, Australia’s students were busy living their best academic lives… and the Koala loves it!
- Conferences that Counted: AIEC, ITECA, English Australia, NEAs and SYMPLED
Nothing says “we still love international education” quite like a big conference where everyone swaps slides instead of shoes. These are the one’s The Koala was fortunate to receive invites to.
The AIEC 2025 theme — “Navigating Change” — captured the mood perfectly. Sector leaders, policymakers, data wonks and that one Professor Who Always Asks Tough Questions squeezed into Canberra’s National Convention Centre to debate everything from AI in classrooms to global recruitment strategies.
The English Australia Conference reminded us that English Language Teaching isn’t just grammar drills, conversation lessons and group trips to see Koalas — it’s often the first step on an international student’s path to belonging.
At the NEAS conference, Jarrad Merlo provided one of the best introductions AI, Agentic AI (or AI agents) to be precise. His live example of J.A.R.V.I.S made the crowd laugh at the expense of some of the attendees. As Jarrad pointed out, there is a serious side to this. He then walked through an example of producing an audio file [insert any information output]. In real time, he walked through a lecture on Psychology, a topic determined by a crowd participant. The result? Jarrad’s voice is being used, almost identical, with a lecture being produced for the cost of approximately 11c versus $300 (approx.) for a human to do it.
The ITECA International Forum in Adelaide, part of the broader ITECA 2025 program, the mood was predictably earnest, if a little reflective, as industry leaders wrestled with the realities facing international education and VET providers in Australia.
The SYMPLED Conference was one of the most practical and policy-charged gatherings the international education sector saw all year, bringing together educators, providers, agents and advocates at Torrens University’s Sydney campus to confront both the knock-on effects of sweeping reform and the urgent challenges ahead. While there was no sugarcoating the uncertainty facing parts of the sector, there was a clear message: in a time of change, collaboration, transparency and innovation are non-negotiable if Australia wants to retain its place on the world stage of international education.
All events showed that the network behind global study is alive, enthusiastic and unafraid to ask the hard questions. Above all, we are a community, one that is made up of people-to-people links.
- Policy Whirlwinds: Fact Checks & Bill Battles
Of course, 2025 wasn’t all trophies and celebratory speeches. In the political sphere, reforms and legislation kept the sector guessing and buzzing like a campus hive during exams.
The proposed Education Legislation Amendment Bill drew fire from universities and industry bodies alike. Critics warned that broad ministerial powers and poorly defined requirements could actually undermine confidence in international study programs, not to mention make compliance officers weep. Perhaps the most common refrain though was a continuation of the complaint about a lack of genuine consultation.
And then there was The Koala’s truth bomb on how government language around “integrity and quality” might be doing more harm than good. With phrases like “sex traffickers” and “dodgy providers” making headlines — you can forgive educators for feeling like their sector of hundreds of institutions was being judged by the antics of one or two bad apples.
In short, navigating policy in 2025 was like a game of musical chairs. No one knows when the music will stop or if they will be getting a seat or left without a chair and on their backside.
- What Students Actually Want Now
One of the year’s more thoughtful contributions came from IDP Education’s research, which revealed a shift that would make any career-services guru smile: international students are now more focused on employability than rankings or reputations. In fact, job outcomes now beat out university prestige as the top priority for many. thekoalanews.com
This wasn’t just a data point — it was a clear message to universities the world over: If you want global students, make sure your degrees lead somewhere beyond a piece of paper. And frankly? That feels like a lesson worth remembering.
- Looking Ahead: Tough Competition & Big Dreams
While Australia continues to be a top destination for study, global mobility is growing everywhere, especially in markets beyond the usual suspects. A recent report showed surging interest from Africa and Latin America — and a reminder that if Australia focuses only on traditional sources like China and India, it might miss the global party.
Add to that the buzz surrounding the 40th anniversary of AIEC in Sydney in 2026, and you realize the sector isn’t just limping through change, it’s preparing for a renaissance of ideas and opportunities.
- The sector’s ‘Social License’
International education’s social licence in 2025 was less ‘gold-star-student’ and more ‘nervous interviewee sweating through questions on live TV’, because while everyone agrees international students bring culture, character, and yes, cash to our cities, public trust was being damaged by political rhetoric and policy churn. A thoughtful piece on The Koala News by a guest contributor pointed out that trust, not just regulation, will be what actually sustains the sector, emphasising how crucial it is that students receive impartial advice, institutions match learners to suitable opportunities, and the whole system acts in the long-term interests of those it serves rather than just checking boxes on compliance forms. That argument sits at the heart of broader industry attempts to rebuild confidence after years of scrutiny, and it suggests that reputation isn’t won in courtrooms and committee hearings: it’s earned in classrooms and student experiences.
But let’s not pretend 2025 was all kumbayas and constructive dialogue. The year’s policy battles, like heated debates over the Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025 shone an unforgiving spotlight on worries that broad ministerial powers, lack of sector consultation, and rushed legislation actually undermine the social licence the government claims it’s trying to protect.
Stakeholders from Independent Schools Australia to English Australia argued that giving unfettered powers to cancel courses or defining who counts as an “education agent” without rigorous consultation risks making Australia look like it’s running policy like an amateur dodge-ball tournament, and not one where the experts, players or fans are included in writing the rulebook. In other words, while reformers talk about ‘integrity’ and ‘quality’, many educators wonder whether the tone and approach might be eroding the very trust the sector needs to thrive.
So… The Verdict on 2025?
Was it a good year? For some: Absolutely. For others: definitely not.
Was it chaotic? You bet.
Was it transformative? In ways we’re only just beginning to grasp, and many are very nervous about.
From real-world student leadership wins and awards celebrating excellence, to visa debates that could fill a novel and research reshaping what students are actually seeking, 2025 was a full-on academic saga.
And as we slide into 2026 with more data, new legislation, a new tertiary governing body (ATEC) coming, deeper competition, and a buzzing conference calendar, The Koala News will be there, poking, prodding, celebrating, and yes, cheekily critiquing every step of the way.
Merry Christmas, all. Have a fantastic end to 2025 and a joyous start to 2026. Above all, be safe.
