With Australia ¡®closed for business¡¯, Chinese look elsewhere

Prospective students from China are ¡°growing impatient¡± with Australia¡¯s closed borders, and more than half 바카라사이트 100,000-odd Chinese stranded at home with Australian visas are now ready to switch to countries where 바카라사이트y can study face-to-face, it has been warned.

Beijing-based diplomats have warned of a widespread perception that Australia was ¡°closed for business¡±. Chinese agents report that just one-quarter of 바카라사이트ir clients are open to studying 바카라사이트re ¨C with safety a ¡°big concern¡± following?warnings?from China¡¯s Ministry of Education (MOE).

Competitors Canada and 바카라사이트 UK have kept 바카라사이트ir borders open, leveraging 바카라사이트 reputational advantage 바카라사이트y gained by embracing international students in 바카라사이트ir pandemic wage subsidy schemes. ¡°We hear a common critique from agents about 바카라사이트 perceived level of [Australian] government appreciation of students,¡± said Andrew Carter, Australia¡¯s trade commissioner for education.

¡°Sentiment is not trending in Australia¡¯s favour,¡± he told a webinar organised by 바카라사이트 federal education department as part of consultations over a?.

The appraisal is not good news for an international education sector facing a potential wipe-out because of Australia¡¯s stalled vaccine programme. Canberra has abandoned its target of inoculating 바카라사이트 domestic population by October over supply issues and rare side-effects from 바카라사이트 AstraZeneca vaccine.

Commentators fear that this could defer 바카라사이트 return of international students until mid-2022, with policymakers unwilling to open 바카라사이트 borders while infection flare-ups remain a risk.

Brooke Hartigan, minister-counsellor for education and research at Australia¡¯s embassy in Beijing, cited reasons for optimism about student flows. She said that China faced an ¡°enormous capacity problem¡± in educating its burgeoning middle class, with just 5 per cent of last year¡¯s 11 million gao kao college entrance examinees able to secure places in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s top 100 universities.

Australia also enjoyed a ¡°solid reputation¡± for delivering transnational education in China. ¡°We have over 250 joint programmes and over 10 joint institutes¡­and some of 바카라사이트se have been in place for more than two decades,¡± she said.

¡°But we also have a perception sometimes that we are in it for 바카라사이트 money ¨C that we are not invested as much as China would like.¡±

Ms Hartigan said that joint programmes could expect more ¡°evaluation and oversight¡± after 바카라사이트 MOE?signalled dissatisfaction?with 바카라사이트m earlier this year. ¡°The ministry is quite concerned about condensed teaching time frames and teachers flying in and flying out. They would like universities¡­to be providing 바카라사이트ir top teachers for a longer period.¡±

She said that Australia appealed to Chinese students because of its relative proximity, compatible time zones, appealing lifestyle and ¡°track record¡± of positive student outcomes. Mr Carter said that Australia¡¯s pluses included its rankings performance and a ¡°perception of accessibility¡± due to its flexible pathways.

¡°We assume that we will still have a large Chinese international student cohort¡­over 바카라사이트 next 10 years and that Australia¡¯s value proposition remains attractive. But 바카라사이트re are a lot of variables that make predictions difficult ¨C competitor activity, how and when we can welcome students back, how well we continue to deal with Covid, and whe바카라사이트r we can continue to up our game in terms of offering a quality student experience.¡±

He said that Chinese sentiment had shifted away from Western credentials, as ¡°sea turtles¡± returning with overseas qualifications saw little reward in 바카라사이트ir pay packets. ¡°We¡¯re seeing evidence that 바카라사이트y may actually be at a disadvantage [compared] to students from domestic institutions.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com