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Appealing to the playground set as well as the highly regarded standing and teaching of Australian institutions ”.
People avoid Australia for three main reasons , the report states : distance from home ; difficulty in getting a visa ; and concerns about attitudes towards international students . Australia ’ s other disadvantages , the report states , are geographical location and the cost of international air travel .
“ While Australia has a safety record far surpassing that of the US – Australia ’ s largest competitor , particularly for Chinese students – prospective students are significantly more likely to cite safety as a reason to avoid Australia than the UK .”
The report went on to acknowledge , however , that Australian tertiary education institutions were at the “ forefront of international education in terms of innovation and strategic partnerships ”, but urged those in the sector not to become complacent .
“ Australian universities must make a concerted effort to provide students with the essential skills and connections to ensure employability , in a global context ,” the report states . “ Universities must show how an Australian degree is a tangible advantage to prospective students through partnerships with employers and industry groups .”
Students are starting to think about university as early as age 7 ; that means the sector must find ways to connect with the very young .
By Antonia Maiolo and Amie Larter
Australian universities may need to re-tailor their international education marketing approaches , as a new report shows prospective students begin to look into university options as young as age 11 .
In fact , the report , The Definition of ROI and Value : An International Student Outlook , which Hobsons released in March , states that nearly 15 per cent of the 45,000 prospective international students surveyed said they first started thinking about going to university between the ages of 7 and 10 .
“ Universities must speak to the younger cohort – those who are not the most obvious prospects just yet ,” the report states . “ Playing the long game and targeting prospective students earlier could be an effective strategy in building commitment and loyalty from an earlier age .”
As expected , the highest proportion of respondents ( 46 per cent ) said they first started thinking about university options between the ages of 16 – 20 . Results also showed Australian universities need to be more direct when advising potential students about their benefits over those of competitors .
“ Understanding students ’ definition of [ return on investment ] is the key competitive advantage every university needs ,” says David Harrington , Hobsons APAC president – enrolment management services and regional director .
“ An international education is the opportunity to become a truly global citizen , building strong networks and leadership skills across borders . When you invest in an overseas study experience , you want to know that you are getting a foot in the door and a competitive advantage as a graduate outcome .”
At the top of the list for valued outcomes are employability , starting salary and transferable skills . The report suggests universities “ make a point of [ Australia ’ s ] opportunities for part-time employment ,
Looking to leverage online International students choose Australia for the on-campus and in-country experience and are less inclined to want to study online , the research shows .
“ International students are not convinced that online and distance education alone provide the value they are seeking from a degree ,” the report states . “ Rather , they see online learning and technology as useful extensions to more traditional teaching methods .”
Tanya Perera , director client success at Hobsons , sees an opportunity . She says there is much room in the sector for improvement in the understanding and awareness of international students ’ online choices .
“ If we are going to be sustainable , then perhaps online [ can become ] yet another feather in our cap , yet another offering – particularly where there can be mixedmode delivery ,” Perera says . “ Universities should see these figures as an opportunity to develop course offerings and understand what a future degree would look like to a future student , because they ’ re all learning in different ways . They are all engaging with universities in different ways , and it ’ s an opportunity to be ready for that .” n
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