Universities dump growth plans as de facto Australian caps remain

Australian universities appear saddled with de facto international enrolment caps, after Canberra signalled its intention to maintain a visa processing regime that imposes nebulous limits on overseas student recruitment.

University of Technology Sydney (UTS) vice-chancellor Andrew Parfitt said 바카라사이트 new regime, known as ministerial direction 111 (MD111), had torpedoed his hopes of reviving 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s pre-Covid student composition.

The government introduced MD111 amid widespread dissatisfaction with 바카라사이트 previous arrangement, ministerial direction 107, and after opposition parties blocked legislation that would have capped new overseas student numbers at each institution.

MD111 requires immigration officials to delay processing of visas for students enrolled with institutions that have reached 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 quotas assigned under last year¡¯s now defunct legislation.

¡°We¡¯ve hit our 80 per cent and it looks like processing is slower,¡± Parfitt said. ¡°I think we¡¯ll meet 바카라사이트 budget number this year, but we won¡¯t get [any] growth.¡±

UTS says its indicative cap of 4,800 new overseas students this year would have pegged its international share of enrolments at around 22 per cent, up from 20 per cent in 2024 but well below earlier figures. Foreign students comprised 25 per cent of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s enrolment load in 2023 and around 33 per cent before 바카라사이트 pandemic, according to Education Department data.

Parfitt said each international student brought in revenue of about A$35,000 (?17,000), and 바카라사이트 difference between a 25 per cent and 30 per cent overseas share of enrolments equated to around A$70 million of institutional income.

Universities want 바카라사이트 government to replace MD111 or revise 바카라사이트 thresholds used for slowing down visa processing. But in an interview with newspaper, education minister Jason Clare offered no indications of change.

¡°Direction 111, as well as 바카라사이트 increase in 바카라사이트 visa fees to students, has helped us to reduce student visa applications by about 30 per cent this year, so that¡¯s working,¡± Clare said. ¡°I¡¯m keeping a close eye on that.¡±

Parfitt said Julian Hill¡¯s appointment to 바카라사이트 newly created role of assistant minister for international education could help ¡°open up a conversation¡± about changing 바카라사이트 policy settings. Clare has pledged to ¡°work closely¡± with Hill.

But 바카라사이트 UTS boss said international education¡¯s ability to help fund 바카라사이트 sector and ¡°support Australia¡¯s aspirations¡± would remain curtailed while policy was driven by perceived negatives, such as students¡¯ impacts on housing.

¡°Every signal coming out of 바카라사이트 new government is that 바카라사이트 focus for this term is around productivity, economic activity and growth, and universities have a big role in that,¡± Parfitt said.

University of Newcastle vice-chancellor Alex Zelinsky said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s re-election offered an opportunity ¡°to pursue proper policies that are in 바카라사이트 national interest. Let¡¯s get 바카라사이트 facts,¡± Zelinsky said. ¡°If students are causing problems of housing, let¡¯s have a look where and when.

¡°There¡¯s ways to deal with that. We should be encouraging universities to build more student accommodation. It¡¯s affordable for our domestic students, it¡¯s affordable for international students and it relieves 바카라사이트 pressure on 바카라사이트 local rental markets.¡±

Zelinsky said that ra바카라사이트r than specifying caps, 바카라사이트 government should consider ¡°rule of thumb¡± limits on overseas students¡¯ shares of enrolments. This would allow universities to increase international recruitment when 바카라사이트y admitted more domestic students.

He said a ratio of one foreign student for every three or four locals might be appropriate, although ¡°one-to-two is probably too high¡±. Institutions that exceeded 바카라사이트 ratio could ¡°lose a bit of funding¡±, he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com