ANZ’s newest international education conference, The PIE Live Australia, held on the Gold Coast last week was much more than just another conference; it brought together our community’s key players to challenge, network and share, with the added trademark warmth and sparkle of the PIE team.
The two days saw colleagues opening up about what we’ve learned over the last three years to support ongoing improvement; challenged us to think about how we communicate better to improve public sentiment towards international students; and importantly introduced us to the new Climate Action Barometer for International Education which provides universities with an opportunity to analyse and address the conflict between the carbon footprint of our industry travel and the carbon neutral goals of our organisations. A shout out to Ailsa Lamont, Will Archer and Emily O’Callaghan for their leadership on the Climate Action Barometer for International Education!
Intense networking and thought-provoking expert panels and presentations included;
- Day 1 opening with Professor Kent Anderson challenging us to question whether all the creative destruction of the past 3 years was worth it. His panel of Rob McGowan, Ainslie Moore, Brett Blacker and Jana Pereira noted that while we are better placed to help the developing world close the skills gap and we’ve learned that universities don’t have to be slow-moving beasts and can do wonders in a hurry if we are sufficiently motivated, it nonetheless should never have taken us being backed into a corner to showcase how impressive and innovative this sector can be.
- Brett Blacker reminding us that in 2023, Australia will have delivered more English teaching weeks than any other country – pre-covid, ELT was the canary in the coal mine, and now it’s the seed of growth for the sector.
- Rounding out Day 1 was “International student roundtable: Truth to Power” where current international students shared their hopes, thoughts and fears for international education in Australia and made it clear to us that our incredibly high standard of education was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to ensuring our international student cohort was satisfied with their education experience.
- Hungry for more, Day 2 brought a focus on the employability end-game … noting that international employability remains the key motivation for international students looking to study overseas and over 80% of our international students return to their home countries following their studies, supporting students transition to successful opportunities back home is vital. The team of Brett Berquist, Professor Dr Katrin Klodt-Bussman, Jeanette Cheah and Shane Dillon asked which graduates have an edge in the workplace and how we work with employers, evolve the credentials we offer and skills we teach to be future-focused.
- Rob Lawrence’s thought-provoking session – We were thrown under a bus and then hit by a train… – provided the sector with a glimpse into our progression over the past couple of decades, and more important in the past few years, he highlighted that unless we are more dynamic and respond to the ever-changing needs of students, we risk being left behind by our competitors internationally. Rob also showed the importance of international education to the economy with the incredible statistic that Graduation Day at RMIT is worth AU$93 million alone to the Australian economy. Remarkable!
- The two days were concluded with a discussion on India, the new era of India-Australia relations and the powerful opportunities across this diverse market where private university and industry partnerships are creating exciting opportunities; reverse migration to onshore campuses is key for the future and the emphasis will be on mutual benefits and those who can help build a strong and inclusive India.
The 48 hours of cerebral engagement were topped off with a special live recording of the cult podcast Tales from the Departure Lounge and a (very) generous happy hour followed by a formal dinner celebrating and fundraising for an important NGO in Eastern Uganda called Shine with Skills set up by Immy from the PIE, an initiative which elevates and empowers the lives of youths and women in marginalized communities.
