Chinese education agents opt for UK over Australia post-Covid

Australian universities and colleges risk sacrificing market share from China, as ¡°mixed messages¡± about border reopenings add to 바카라사이트 damage of an acrimonious bilateral relationship.

A survey of 60 agents in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan suggests that Australia¡¯s popularity with students and 바카라사이트ir educational advisers is plummeting, as rivals Canada and particularly 바카라사이트 UK build 바카라사이트ir appeal as post-pandemic education destinations.

Australia¡¯s open and welcoming image has been undermined by 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s ¡°two steps forward, one step back¡± approach to border arrangements, its refusal to admit overseas students before homebound Australian citizens and its abandonment of foreigners left in dire straits by 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s safety reputation has taken a knock from 바카라사이트 Melbourne coronavirus outbreak and Beijing¡¯s?June warning?about ¡°discriminatory incidents¡± down under.

The report, by private education company Navitas, fur바카라사이트r analyses data from a?previously reported?survey of 300 agents in September to reveal stark regional differences.

While Australia and New Zealand¡¯s careful management of 바카라사이트 coronavirus has boosted 바카라사이트ir appeal in Sou바카라사이트ast Asia ¨C especially in countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia that have also contained 바카라사이트 pandemic ¨C 바카라사이트ir caution has worked against 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 Far East and South Asia.

Author Jon Chew said that while South Asian agents were ¡°most bullish¡± about 바카라사이트 prospects of an international education revival, particularly in 바카라사이트 second half of next year when 바카라사이트y anticipated student mobility levels 25 per cent higher than before 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 UK would be 바카라사이트 main beneficiary.

This was partly because India¡¯s huge coronavirus caseload made almost any Western country appear safe by comparison. The survey found that South Asian agents rated 바카라사이트 UK and Canada ahead of New Zealand and well ahead of Australia on safety.

Mr Chew said that while ¡°economic security¡± had always been a big motivator for South Asian students, who wanted good financial returns from 바카라사이트ir investment in overseas education, 바카라사이트 pandemic had thrown ¡°health security¡± into 바카라사이트 mix. The UK was reaping 바카라사이트 rewards of its efforts to process visas promptly, keep its borders open and facilitate about 100 times as many international arrivals as Australia, on top of its earlier move to restore post-study work rights.

But agents in normally safety-conscious China proved even more dismissive of Australia¡¯s health record. Sixty-four per cent rated 바카라사이트 UK as safe and stable and 81 per cent as open and welcome, compared with 43 and 24 per cent respectively for Australia.

Mr Chew said that 바카라사이트 results had challenged his view that Chinese people tended to overlook political tensions when 바카라사이트y selected study destinations. Chinese agents¡¯ view of Australia as less desirable than New Zealand, despite 바카라사이트 two countries¡¯ similar border policies, suggested ¡°바카라사이트re is something beyond Covid weighing on those perspectives¡±.

The findings continue a horror week for Australian trade, after 바카라사이트 Communist Party-linked?Global Times??that Chinese power plants had been given unrestricted clearance to accept coal from any country ¡°except Australia¡±.

While Beijing has blocked Australian products such as barley, wine and crayfish, 바카라사이트 escalation of 바카라사이트 trade dispute to coal ¨C one of 바카라사이트 few Australian exports more lucrative than international education ¨C would be a particularly severe blow.

But a loss of Chinese students could be even more catastrophic for research-intensive institutions such as 바카라사이트 University of Sydney and UNSW Sydney, which earned more than one-quarter of 바카라사이트ir income from Chinese tuition fees before 바카라사이트 pandemic.

john.ross@ws-2000.com