Minister for Education, the Hon Jason Clare MP, told Sky News Sunday Agenda yesterday that “a lot of universities, in particular the smaller universities” have advocated for the government to set a level or cap for international student enrolments, for “each and every year”, due to uneven enrolments over the last few years.
When asked what the reaction from the university sector had been to the proposal to cap enrolments, Clare said “a lot of universities have asked for this, because I said it’s been a little uneven over the last few years”, although he refused to name individual universities when pressed to do so.
According to the Minister, the international education sector is “pretty much an unregulated sector” and the capping of international student enrolments comes with a “certain logic and common sense here, that if we regulate the number of Australian students, that we should do that also for international students”.
Clare would not be pinned down on the ideal number of international students in Australia, arguing instead for sustainable growth. “This is not about pulling out the meat axe, this is an important economic asset for Australia, but students have come back quickly, and I think what we need to do is have sustainable growth over the longer term”, Clare said.
In the interview, Clare confirmed that his focus will be on setting a cap on the total number of international students at all universities and vocational education and training providers, rather than at the course level, despite the new ESOS legislation bill tabled in parliament enabling him to do so (as reported by TKN 180524). He considers the course level cap a “reserve ability”.
Despite the Draft International Education and Skills Strategic Framework (TKN 130524) proposing to restrict courses that do not align with Australia’s skills needs, Clare said that the way the industry is governed “makes sure that if someone studies here in Australia, they go back home…”, continuing the government’s contradictory messaging about this issue.
The transcript of the full interview is available here.
