International student numbers worldwide plummeted when the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. It is reported that international student numbers in US colleges declined by 15% and new international student enrollment fell by an astonishing 46%.  Australia also suffered a massive decline of overseas students with strict Covid-19 lockdowns and completely closing its borders during the height of the pandemic. Australia's international student population is down by 21% in 2022 compared to 2021. But with its country’s borders opened and universities beginning offline classes due to relaxed covid restrictions, universities and the Australian government are scrambling to regain their international student population.  

What the Australian Government is doing to boost its international student population

The Australian Government’s Department of Education, Skills, and Employment has released a plan to help international students in 2021, the Australian Strategy for International Education, for 2021-2030. In the Australian Strategy for International Education, they acknowledge that international students “[B]rings many economic, cultural, and social benefits” to the Australian people and businesses. [caption id="attachment_345" align="aligncenter" width="543"] Australian Department of Education have released the Australian Strategy for International Education, looking to boost international student numbers after the steep decline.[/caption] The four main goals of the Australian Strategy for International education are the following: Diversification -Diversifying student cohorts, source countries, and offering to capitalize on digital and offshore opportunities Meeting Australia’s skills needs -Delivering international education that meets Australia’s skills needs and fostering quality partnerships for research and collaboration Students at the centre -Strengthening connections between international students and Australian students and communities, enhancing people-to-people links through international education mobility, and student experience and wellbeing Growth and global competitiveness -Maintaining a strong quality framework to ensure continued growth and ensuring global competitiveness

The Focus on Chinese International Students

Although this is the right direction for Australia, it will take time to return to the peak numbers of international students of 2019. One of the major reasons for the decrease of international students are the steep decline of Chinese international students. In 2019, Australia had over 200,000 Chinese international students, accounting for 28 percent of the international student population in Australian universities. Currently, in 2022, the number of Chinese international student has halved; with 104,334 Chinese international students attending Australian universities. This significant drop can be attributed towards the pandemic, but there are far more factors to consider when looking at the relationship with China and Australia. In 2020, the trade war between China and Australia hit its peak. With China accusing Australia of siding with the US on the "anti-China campaign", they hit Australia with crippling trade sanctions. One of these sanctions were on the coal exports and before the sanctions, 58% of Australia's coal exports were sold to China. This worsened the Australian economy which was already being affected by the pandemic and fostered animosity between China and Australia. With political tensions and rampant racism due to the pandemic, Australian universities has become an unattractive place for Chinese students. [caption id="attachment_958" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Australian coal exports has been banned by China since 2020[/caption] It is hard to say how much this strategy will affect future international student numbers. Even though this strategy was in use since late 2021, Australia’s borders only opened in late February of 2022. It is yet to be seen if the relaxed covid restrictions, opened borders, and the effort of the government will raise their international student population to pre-pandemic numbers. And with Chinese overseas students at an all time low globally, it may never recover. If you want to read the official document released by the Australian government on their Australian Strategy for International Educaiton, you can download it in the link below. Link: Australian Strategy for International Education Official Document Read More: How the Russian Invasion of Ukraine is Effecting its Education