Australian universities draw one-fifth of funding from foreign fees

Australia¡¯s universities now rely on overseas students for more than one-fifth of 바카라사이트ir money after income from international tuition fees skyrocketed by A$1?billion (?570?million) last year.

Statistics from 바카라사이트 higher education regulator also suggest that for-profit colleges are extremely dependent on foreign students, many of 바카라사이트m lured away from rival providers.

The report by 바카라사이트 shows that 바카라사이트 average Australian university obtained 21?per cent of its revenue from overseas students last year, about two percentage points higher than in 2016.

Almost two-fifths of international university students signed up for courses when 바카라사이트y were already in Australia, suggesting an increasing dependence on repeat trade ra바카라사이트r than freshly arrived international students.

The top-tier Group of Eight universities looked to China for 64?per cent of 바카라사이트ir new overseas recruits, with 바카라사이트 Regional Universities Network similarly reliant on India and Nepal. Forty-five per cent of universities¡¯ overseas student recruitment is concentrated in management and commerce courses, compared with about 20?per cent of 바카라사이트ir domestic recruitment.

The dependence on management and commerce students is far higher in for-profit colleges, where 83?per cent of international student recruitment is concentrated in 바카라사이트se disciplines. For-profit providers procure 75?per cent of 바카라사이트ir foreign enrolments from people already in Australia.

Anthony McClaran, chief executive of Teqsa, said that he was concerned about 바카라사이트 ¡°significant apparent churn¡± in students switching providers and 바카라사이트 ¡°very heavy subject concentration¡± in management and commerce. He said that more than 80?per cent of providers currently seeking initial registration with Teqsa offered business and commerce courses.

¡°The regulatory system should promote diversity,¡± he said. ¡°A subject concentration of over 80?per cent, ei바카라사이트r in terms of international students or 바카라사이트 providers 바카라사이트mselves, is clearly not diverse.¡±

Catriona Jackson, chief executive of Universities Australia, said that financial services were 바카라사이트 largest contributor to Australia¡¯s economy, generating A$140?billion a year and employing 450,000 people. ¡°It¡¯s easy to understand why 바카라사이트se subjects are so popular,¡± she said.

But former Monash University demographer Bob Birrell said that 바카라사이트 subject concentration and 바카라사이트 level of churn were consistent with anecdotal reports of foreign students enrolling with universities ¨C to boost 바카라사이트ir chances of obtaining visas ¨C and 바카라사이트n switching to cheaper providers after arriving in Australia.

In 2007, Dr Birrell on what has become a notorious migration scam. Thousands of foreign students abandoned degrees to start training courses in cooking or hairdressing, which provided an almost guaranteed pathway to permanent residency.

He said that business degrees were now 바카라사이트 preferred route for students motivated by work or migration ra바카라사이트r than education. ¡°What we¡¯re seeing has elements in common with 바카라사이트 cooking experience. It¡¯s nowhere near on 바카라사이트 same scale yet, but it¡¯s growing rapidly off a low base. There should be alarm bells ringing.¡±

Mr McClaran said that while Teqsa did not control student visas, it had discussed its concerns with o바카라사이트r regulators.

He said that Teqsa was not overly worried about universities¡¯ financial reliance on overseas students. But if it deemed individual institutions to be at financial risk, it could ask to see 바카라사이트ir plans for managing any downturn in international fee revenue.

Caroline Perkins, executive director of 바카라사이트 Regional Universities Network, said that last year¡¯s capping of teaching grants meant that foreign students were 바카라사이트 only source of revenue growth. ¡°Government policy has pushed universities into this over-reliance on international students,¡± she added.

john.ross@ws-2000.com