Roadmap drives education export recovery

Study Queensland has launched a new five-year, $20.6 million roadmap to drive the post-pandemic recovery of the State’s International Education and Training (IET) exports.

Minister responsible for International Education and Training Stirling Hinchliffe said the IET strategy was designed to attract more international students to Queensland.

“International Education and Training is our biggest services export, it’s an important industry generating $5.8 billion a year for the Queensland economy before the pandemic,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

“Study Queensland’s $20.6 million, five-year strategy is about building back better to grow the number of overseas students choosing to study in Queensland.

“After the wrecking ball of Covid, we’re starting to see promising green shoots of recovery with an increase in enrollments from 160 countries to September this year.”

The latest data to September 2022, shows 94,768 international enrollments compared with 94,124 in 2021.

Student commencements increased 34 per cent to 47,871.

Commencements in English Language Intensive Courses are up 155 per cent and higher education by 26 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021.

Mr Hinchliffe said the five-year strategy would include a bigger focus on regional Queensland.

“Almost a third of international students in Queensland are studying outside of the southeast of the State,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

“With 30,000 overseas students enrolled, regional Queensland is Australia’s largest regional education exporter.

“Study Queensland is building a new-look IET forum to promote more regional Queensland study options overseas, particularly in emerging countries.  

“We know more international students in regional Queensland are also good news for hospitality and tourism operators with workforce shortages.”  

The IET strategy value-adds to Queensland education exports by improving career pathways with local innovation industries and intern experiences to hone practical skills and future job prospects.

Queensland study experts are tapping into new education export opportunities - identified by the IET strategy - in Columbia, Brazil, and Vietnam, and research partnerships in Germany, North America, India and Japan. 

“Queensland’s overseas education and training recovery is dependent on a range of international factors beyond our control, but we’re making headway,” Mr Hinchliffe said.       

“The IET roadmap recognises the runway to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a powerful opportunity for raising the global profile of Queensland education.  

“Building back jobs and the 132,000 overseas students studying in Queensland before the pandemic are the IET roadmap’s first priorities.

“After seven years’ of consecutive growth in education and training exports pre-Covid, building back bigger is absolutely achievable, but like international tourism, recovery will take time.” 

Study Queensland IET Strategy: https://www.tiq.qld.gov.au/about/queensland-trade-and-investment-strategy/queensland-iet-strategy

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