‘Fortress Australia’ strangling unis as international enrolments slide

• International student enrolments dropped 16% in the five months to June compared to the same period last year.
• Tertiary job losses mount as international borders remain closed.
• The Australian education system is the third-largest export behind iron ore and coal.

Australia’s university sector is facing the perfect storm of closed international borders and increased competition from the United Kingdom and the United States as enrolments fell by 16% during the first semester of 2021.

Data published by the Australian Government’s Department of Skills, Education and Employment reveals the toll of ‘fortress Australia’ on the education sector with enrolments down by more than 500,000.

Education is Australia’s third-largest export behind iron ore and coal, and the sector saw an estimated 20,000 casual university staff stand down in 2020.

There could be more job losses likely if enrolments fail to recover in the latter half of 2021.

You can read the full story at Grafa

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