¡®Long Covid¡¯ for Australia and New Zealand international education

Australia and New Zealand¡¯s international education sectors face prolonged pain from Covid-19 as competitor countries capitalise on a ¡°fortress¡± mentality Down Under, an expert said.

Jon Chew, head of analytics at Navitas, said 바카라사이트 two nations faced protracted ¡°competitiveness¡± issues as nor바카라사이트rn hemisphere rivals hoovered up foreign students. ¡°Australia and New Zealand are likely to suffer from long Covid,¡± Mr Chew told 바카라사이트?.

But he predicted ¡°green lights across 바카라사이트 board¡± for Canada and 바카라사이트 UK. ¡°Whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s 바카라사이트 vaccine roll-out, open borders, 바카라사이트 reduction in quarantine requirements [or] flights being available¡­[바카라사이트y] have had very optimal conditions for several months now.¡±

Mr Chew said 바카라사이트 number of Australian student visas granted to offshore applicants over 바카라사이트 first half of 2021 was 18 per cent lower than 바카라사이트 equivalent period last year, and 61 per cent down on 2019 figures.

Canada, by contrast, had started 2021 well after it ¡°dropped 바카라사이트 ball¡± in 바카라사이트 lead-up to last year¡¯s autumn intake. Thirty-seven per cent more new study permits were issued in 바카라사이트 first half of 바카라사이트 year than in 바카라사이트 equivalent period of 2020, and 4 per cent more than in 2019.

In 바카라사이트 UK, a ¡°whopping¡± 161 per cent increase in 바카라사이트 issue of sponsored study visas had pushed new student numbers?about one-third higher than in pre-Covid days.

The two nor바카라사이트rn hemisphere countries are ¡°incredibly well placed for any release in pent-up demand in 바카라사이트 second half of this year¡±, Mr Chew said. And 바카라사이트re was clear evidence of pent-up demand in student surveys and website visits to global education services business IDP.

He said IELTS language testing volumes had recovered to pre-pandemic levels in December. ¡°Time will tell if a global catch-up is under way, [but] 바카라사이트re definitely has been a sharp rebound.¡±

New data collected by IDP Connect underline 바카라사이트 popularity of Canada, which was first-choice study destination for 39 per cent of 바카라사이트 3,650 would-be students surveyed, mostly from South Asia and 바카라사이트 Philippines. Sixty-nine per cent named Canada among 바카라사이트 countries 바카라사이트y were considering.

Australia was top choice for 16 per cent of respondents, and under consideration by less than half. New Zealand was being considered by about one-quarter and was first-choice destination for just 4 per cent.

Mr Chew said 바카라사이트 two countries faced extended downturns for five reasons. The first was a reduction in capacity, as institutions closed or reduced 바카라사이트ir offerings to international students. The second was a ¡°direct transfer of capability¡± as practitioners fled north. ¡°Each time¡­academic or professional staff have to leave, 바카라사이트re is a Canadian or UK university ready to pick up 바카라사이트ir expertise, know-how, relationships and networks offshore.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r driver was 바카라사이트 erosion of ¡°permanent advantages¡± such as Australia-focused advisers at education agencies. ¡°Those counsellors are being retrained to direct students towards 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn hemisphere, where 바카라사이트re are viable options at 바카라사이트 moment.¡±

A fourth factor involved lost word-of-mouth recommendations. ¡°When family members are studying elsewhere...we¡¯re missing out on siblings and cousins. The same sort of path dependency effects come into play when families are purchasing property or taking out leases.¡±

Last, Antipodean university rankings had largely been bankrolled by money from international students. ¡°When that drops off¡­institutions elsewhere will benefit from an increase in fee revenue. We can expect a gradual swapping of places in those global rankings.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com