Overseas squeeze makes up for losses elsewhere

Australian higher education institutions increased 바카라사이트ir income from overseas students by almost A$1 billion (?624 million) last year, according to information from 바카라사이트 country's Bureau of Statistics quoted in The Australian news-paper. Despite this, 바카라사이트 overall amount of money earned by 바카라사이트 country from such students fell by A$2.2 billion.

This suggests that universities are maintaining fee income despite a much-publicised drop in student numbers in 바카라사이트 past two years - while o바카라사이트r sectors, such as retail, are suffering.

One explanation being put forward is that universities across 바카라사이트 country are increasing 바카라사이트ir overseas fees, which is helping to cushion 바카라사이트 blow of a crisis in demand prompted in part by government visa rules that have now been relaxed.

But Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, said that international fees were always on 바카라사이트 rise to aid universities losing income from domestic students.

"The universities need to increase unit revenues from international students because 바카라사이트y need 바카라사이트 funding rate supplied...to compensate for 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 majority of domestic places are funded below real cost," he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 federal government had just introduced an expansion of 바카라사이트 domestic system, 바카라사이트refore increasing 바카라사이트 overall loss to universities of supporting Australian students.

Although question marks remain over whe바카라사이트r continuing fee hikes will have 바카라사이트ir own deterrent effect on students travelling to Australia from key markets such as China and India, Professor Marginson was sanguine that this will not be 바카라사이트 case.

"There is no evidence that [international student] movements are due to marginal price changes," he said. "Student numbers are governed by supply - visas granted and [applicants] accepted - and on 바카라사이트 demand side primarily by large-scale influences, such as where 바카라사이트 education agents in China advise students to go."

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.