campusreview.com.au
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
...these are just some of
the areas in which students feel
betrayed by education providers
because they don’t supply
enough information.
Education 2025. Most would not even be aware that, prior to
the 2016 election at least, Australia had a federal minister of
international education.
WHERE IS THE REAL PROBLEM?
The root of all these problems is that education providers treat
international students as a commodity or revenue generator.
I have spoken about this on various podiums. My aim has been to
point out that instead of spending vast sums on educational agents
and creating attractive brochures, universities and other education
providers should be investing wisely in their students because
they are the ones whose experiences and word of mouth will help
promote Australia as an education destination.
International students have never asked their institutions to
invest heavily in celebrations and events, yet it often seems that
celebrating or welcoming the international student cohorts means
a gala dinner or cuisine night when the education provider should
instead be putting resources towards empowering these students
and enhancing their overall experience in Australia.
Invest in international students and I can guarantee you
Australian providers won’t have to pay as much attention to
benchmarking themselves against foreign competitors or data from
business analysis processes anymore.
I constantly participate in panel discussions about these issues.
One funny thing that also frustrates me greatly is that often the
discussion revolves around student expectations and satisfaction,
yet there is rarely a student representative on that panel.
There are still many challenges international students in
Australia face:
• Lack of communication and trust
• Out-of-date data on the job market
• A lack of relationships between international and domestic
students
• Feeling too afraid to step out from their comfort zone
• Constant bullying at workplaces and in the community –
including on campus
• Safety concerns
• The need for Safe accommodation
• Expensive courses
• Travel concessions
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nder-representation on committees, boards, associations
U
and councils
Visa frameworks
A lack of leadership qualities or public speaking skills
Employer ignorance regarding post-study work and
graduate visas
Employer fears of hiring international students because of
cultural barriers
Racism
A lack of networking skills
Institutions failing to engage with some of the people and
organisations that work extensively to uplift the profile of
international education in Australia
Navigating resources on institution websites that have outdated
and incomplete information.
WHERE TO NEXT?
More collaboration between students and institutions, and a
healthy relationship between students and employers are sorely
needed. Increased international student intake will create a new
pool of skilled graduates for businesses, which would also benefit
from more international collaboration, trade and investment links.
I would appreciate it if education institutions, local councils and
various ethnic and multicultural societies provided social activities
to encourage international students to network and build on their
confidence and trust in the community. The English language
should not be a barrier, as international students are multilingual.
The international student community should not be treated as
special. They are part and parcel of society and as such do not
want the ‘special’ tag for themselves. What they want is an unbiased
inclusion in society and their voices to be heard loud and clear.
The messaging from Australian institutions should focus more
on the social and cultural benefits of international education, rather
than just on its role as one of Australia’s largest exports.
In the words of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull: “The better we
understand each other, the more opportunities for further engagement
at every level – social, academic, economic, commercial.” ■
Saba Nabi is the national equity officer and acting education
officer at the Council of International Students Australia.
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