campusreview . com . au international education student bodies more scope for service providing , such as employment and housing assistance , banking and financial services and advice , as well access to subsidised goods .
Up-to-date information on course delivery , applications , fees and scholarship details .
While the report emphasises that the management of COVID-19 remains the key concern among prospective international students , it cautions that other universityrelated information must be clear , comprehensive and up to date .
“ Some of the most common types of information sought in this regard include information regarding local COVID-19 outbreaks , updated travel information and details on changes to university operations and teaching delivery modes ,” the report states .
“ However , there is also still a need to continue providing a steady stream of information on the core aspects of the student application and enrolment process – 78 per cent are still seeking more information on funding and scholarships , 61 per cent are looking for more information to help them choose a study destination , while around half are looking for more information on what program to study and how to prepare their application and admissions forms .
“ While COVID-19 and its impact on international study may still be a top-ofmind issue for institutions and prospective students alike , the results serve as a reminder of the importance of equipping students with the core information they need to make an informed decision about where and what to study .”
Offshore online options will be most effective when framed as a temporary option .
Given that most students surveyed in 2021 are seeking “ a traditional , in-country and on-campus study experience ”, many students are seeking assurances that they ’ ll be able to travel to their university of choice as soon as possible .
“ However , with on-campus study not possible in the near future for most prospective students , they are increasingly faced with the decision to start their studies online , to defer their studies until they can undertake them in-person or to look to study in another country which is accepting international travellers ,” the report says .
“ The results show that 44 per cent of prospective students would be interested in starting their degree online , if it meant that they would be able to travel to their destination country to study on-campus when able to do so .
“ A further 27 per cent were undecided , and 39 per cent said that they would consider studying online if it came with a discount to their tuition fees .”
Concessions for studying online have been backed by the report , as they will not only convince students to begin study at their institution of choice , but “ will be crucial in securing enrolments in the shortterm while international travel into Australia and New Zealand is still severely restricted ”. Online delivery must be as interactive and as student-centred as possible .
As online delivery remains the only option for overseas students studying at an Australian university , it is critical that it is as “ interactive as possible , facilitating highquality interactions between students and their lecturer , and conducted in time zones which allow offshore students to take part ”.
Results from the International Student Survey 2021 highlight that online learning must display a high level of interactivity , giving international students the ability to discuss issues or course content with their lecturers and peers in “ real-time ”. However , institutions must also implement asynchronous learning , such as recorded lectures and formative activities that can be completed at different times . Both of these requirements are critical when supporting students whose first language is not English ; they require both constant access to experts and resources they can tap into at suitable times .
To that end , synchronicity is problematic for such students and is not recommended for either them or teaching staff delivering the units .
“ A high-level online learning program will require flexibility and adaptability on the part of teaching staff to meet this challenge and make sure that the online learning experience is an enriching and rewarding one , regardless of where the students are physically located ,” the report said .
While the survey found Australia was handling the pandemic relatively well , International Education Association of Australia ( IEAA ) chief executive officer Phil Honeywood was critical of the government ’ s inability to get pilot plans off the ground .
The days of student support services being seen as an ancillary service are well behind us .
“... any so-called ‘ COVID health dividend ’ in practice is worth very little if affected offshore-based students ’ patience runs out ,” he said .
“ The student return plans that I have seen to date all involve a focus on low cost quarantine . Given the well documented challenges faced with hotel quarantine , it is perfectly reasonable for students to show a preference for on-campus accommodation . To their credit , the Purpose Built Student Accommodation ( PBSA ) Providers have been at the forefront of a number of draft student return plans deliberations .
“ The NSW state government recently went out to tender for this type of quarantine . Unlike hotels , PBSA providers have comprehensive pastoral care and student friendly activity programs and can often offer less expensive quarantine accommodation packages when compared to hotels .
“ If the pandemic has proven anything , it is that all Australian education providers must ensure that well-thought through comprehensive student support services have to be made core business . While different levels of government can assist with the provision of 24-hour help lines , for instance , the days of student support services being seen as an ancillary service are well behind us . This applies in equal measure to employability advice , placements and support as well .”
Honeywood was also heartened to hear that nearly half of prospective overseas students would be interested in commencing their degree online if they could complete it in Australia , although he also highlighted some risk .
“ This would , of course , need to be a two-way undertaking between the student and their education institution . For example , students can currently change education providers in Australia after only six months . Many education providers would not be keen on making firm undertakings to offshore students only to see them jump into a less expensive course with a different provider ,” he warned . ■
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