Australia’s international education sector is entering another period of recalibration, with policymakers, universities, industry leaders and student experience specialists set to gather in Sydney next month for the Australia China Business Council’s International Education and Visitor Economy Forum 2026.
The forum, hosted by the NSW branch of the Australia China Business Council, brings together voices from government, universities, industry and tourism to examine the pressures reshaping the sector and the role international education will play in Australia’s broader economic and diplomatic future.
The event agenda reflects a sector still grappling with policy uncertainty, changing public sentiment, skills shortages and questions around long term sustainability following several years of migration crackdowns and shifting federal settings.
Opening proceedings will include an address from Assistant Minister for Immigration, Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite, who is scheduled to speak on Australia’s place in global international education. His appearance comes as the federal government continues to balance competing political narratives around migration, housing pressures and the economic contribution of international students.
The program also places significant emphasis on rebuilding social licence for the sector, with Study NSW Associate Director Nate Henderson set to discuss international education through the lens of skills, shared impact and community engagement.
Research collaboration and Australia China engagement will feature prominently throughout the day, including a session from UTS Australia-China Relations Institute Director James Laurenceson focused on university strengths and bilateral education links.
Student wellbeing and belonging are also central themes, with panellists from the University of Sydney and UTS exploring how institutions are responding to growing concerns around isolation, student support and community connection.
As the forum progresses, attention shifts toward mounting commercial and operational pressures facing the sector. Representatives from NEAS Australia, NIET Group and Studymove are scheduled to examine how providers are adapting to policy volatility, changing student demand and increased regulatory scrutiny.
Employability and industry engagement form another major pillar of the event, with speakers from UNSW Business School, KPMG Australia and Independent Higher Education Australia discussing how universities and employers can better align graduate outcomes with workforce needs.
The final section of the symposium broadens the conversation beyond education itself, linking international students more directly to tourism recovery and Australia’s wider visitor economy. L.E.K. Consulting is scheduled to launch a new ACBC report examining opportunities to rebuild Chinese tourism momentum and strengthen the connection between education exports and economic growth.
The inclusion of tourism alongside education reflects an increasingly common argument emerging across the sector that international students should not be viewed solely through a migration lens, but as part of a broader ecosystem encompassing trade, diplomacy, skills and long term economic engagement.
Closing remarks will be delivered by Patrick Mayoh, who is expected to reinforce the importance of people to people links between Australia and China at a time when both governments are seeking to stabilise and expand engagement across multiple sectors.
The forum program suggests the sector is continuing to move away from the rapid growth mentality that defined the pre pandemic period, with much of the discussion now centred on resilience, sustainability, employability and public trust rather than enrolment growth alone.
The forum is being held from 9am (registration from 8.30am) through 1pm on 9 June at Baker McKenzie, Level 46, Tower One – International Towers, 100 Barangaroo Avenue, Sydney NSW 2000.
For more information and to register, see here.
